The Return of Brooke Davis
by bendecida82
Summary: Anything for Brody sequel. Brooke has lost everything, and must return home to the only real family she’s known. But after 10 years, will they still be there to help her pick up the pieces? BREYTON FRIENDSHIP ONLY! Lots of Core 5, Leyton, Naley
1. Prologue

A/N: Alright guys, the moment we've all been waiting for. I'm back to pre-written chapters, so updates are guaranteed twice a week (Monday and Friday). Every 100 reviews, you get an extra chapter Wednesday. This story is going to be long! I'm using dates so that you guys can keep track of what are flashbacks and what is current time (or is it future time?) Im assuming they graduated the season finale year, which is 2007.

This is the sequel to Anything for Brody, so OTH world is totally different after 2.03. Keith is alive, Leyton is together, Nathan didn't point shave, and other stuff. This story can stand alone, but you might want to read AFB for clarification if you haven't already, cause I am not going to flashback anything that was explained there.

Flashbacks will occur as we get into the heart of the story, and since they can stand alone, if there is something you want to see that I haven't shown, feel free to ask for it.

Love to everyone who reads, but just to let you know. There will be **happy leyton **in this fic, so if you don't like that, don't read. That being said, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I read all comments and criticisms, as long as they are made out of love.

Synapsis: Anything for Brody sequel. Brooke has lost everything, and must return home to the only family she's known. But after 10 years, will they still be there to help her pick up the pieces?

Set 9 years after high school graduation.

Lots of friendships, lots of different pairings. Its gonna be an awesome ride guys.

So let's get started!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I give credit to whom credit's due, and I thank Mark for creating awesome characters I can play with.

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Prologue: When the mighty fall

_March 6th, 2016_

"And so both petitioners agree to the terms of the divorce?" the judge asked, peering over his glasses.

"Yes, your honor." Brooke said dutifully, standing next to her lawyer.

"Yes, your honor," Jared said, grinning, nodding his head emphatically.

"Very well." The judge looked through the papers carefully. "Since there was no prenuptial agreement, and you were married for a year, the spouse with the lesser income is entitled to alimony. Since both parties have agreed to these terms, I hereby award Ms. Davis a monthly alimony payment of 10,500 dollars, or 25% of Mr. Richardson's monthly gross income."

Brooke smiled at the judge and turned to her lawyer to shake his hand, only to be startled by the commotion on the other side of the room.

"What? Are you serious! She is the owner of a multimillion dollar corporation! How is it she has the lesser income! There's got to be some mistake!" Jared sputtered.

The judge banged his gravel. "There is no mistake, Mr. Richardson. Ms. Davis has no assets in her name, and receives no payment for the work she does for her company, since it is done on a voluntary basis. Everything is in the company's name, which is owned by her mother, Victoria Davis. And while I do not condone such underhanded actions," he said, shooting a glance at Brooke, who stood with a smug look on her face, "legally, she currently has no income, and has had none since the two of you married. Therefore, she is entitled to alimony."

"But, but…" Jared shook his head in confusion.

"But you thought you hit a gold mine by 'sweeping me off my feet' and promising me the world when you asked me to marry you, then asking for a divorce when you realized the money train wasn't running in your direction." Brooke finished for him, then harrumphed. "Did you think you got over on me because I didn't ask for a prenup? Nice try, Jared baby. Better luck next time."

"You BITCH!" Jared seethed, shaking off his lawyer's hand, who was attempting to calm him down.

"Better bitch than broke." Brooke said, not missing a beat as she and her lawyer exited the courtroom and made their way to the limousine waiting for them in front of the courthouse.

"Martin, I must say that was a brilliant move on your part. Having me move everything into my mother's name and control before I got married. No sense being stupid while in love." Brooke said, raising her glass of champagne in salute to the bookish man sitting across from her.

"Yes, well, I can't take all the credit. It was your mother's idea." Martin, said, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Ah, yes, Victoria. More than likely she was protecting the company's interests. And since I am the company…" Brooke said, a touch bitterly.

"Oh, I'm sure she was looking out for you as well," Martin said hurriedly.

"Don't worry Martin. I have no illusions when it comes to Victoria Davis. We might not have gotten the mother-daughter thing down, but when it comes to a business partnership, there's no one else I want on my side." Brooke said confidently.

Thinking, she frowned. "Although, she was upset that I married Jared in the first place, talking about how I placed the company at risk by marrying some no name low life. Only she would considered a stockbroker making six figures a 'low-life'. I am not looking forward to hearing her say 'I told you so.'" Brooke brightened and looked at Martin. "But that's what I have you for! Now, how long before I can move everything back into my name?"

"Since the divorce was final today, tomorrow. Just to make sure all the paperwork has time to get somewhere permanent, so that Jared can't contest the proceedings."

"Oh, he won't. Right now, he's probably already looking for his next victim. It's a good thing I don't believe in love, or I would be really hurt right now that the man I married was after my money. Instead, I am going to look back and think of how smart I was to have avoided his trap." Brooke grinned devilishly, "and remember how great he was in bed."

Brooke laughed as Martin blushed profusely, pushing his glasses back up on his nose and looking down to rifle through his papers. Brooke looked out the window as they pulled up to her apartment building on 5th avenue.

"Ok, Martin. Give me a call when the paperwork is done and everything is transferred back into my name. I'm going out tonight to celebrate!" She winked at him as she leaned back in the car. "Care to join me?" she said, arching her eyebrow suggestively.

Martin stammered out a no. Brooke let out an airy laugh. "Oh, Martin, I do love you so. Ciao!" She waved as the limo pulled off after she was safely in the building. She walked purposefully towards the elevator, ignoring the doorman, and making her way to the penthouse floor where she resided, an apartment that was also placed n the company's name, to Jared's displeasure once he found out about it.

The man was shocked at how little Brooke Davis actually owned when he married her, and how much of it belonged to Clothes over Bro's. Unfortunately for him, he also believed that Brooke owned Clothes' over Bro's, so he was content. He was right, to a point. Brooke Davis did own Clothes' Over Bro's, which is why she turned the company over to her mother before her marriage at her insistence, to prevent the company from being affected if her marriage turned out to be a sham.

Brooke let herself into the apartment. It was decorated to her mother's tastes- uber-modern and with hideously expensive décor, such that at times even Brooke felt she couldn't relax, for fear of ruining something. And since she didn't want to hear her mother's mouth about standards of living, she spent most of her time in her room, the only place semi comfortable in the entire apartment.

Calling up her girlfriends, they spent the night on the town, cruising the clubs VIP section and ordering champagne at first, then moving to top-shelf liquors, toasting the narrow escape from being taken advantage of. Brooke stumbled into her apartment when the sun began to make its ascent into the sky, falling face down into her bed to sleep off the night's debauchery.

She was rudely awakened at noon by the sun glaring brightly in her eyes, thanks to Victoria, who had thrown open the drapes to allow the light to shine directly into her face. Brooke rolled over and blinked, attempting to clear her blurred vision.

"Victoria." She mumbled. "What are you doing here so early?" Inside, she was cursing. She did not want to talk to her mother, that's why she had Martin handling the legal issues. What was she doing here?

"Well, seeing as how it's almost one o'clock, I would scarcely call it early." Victoria said haughtily, walking around the room staring distastefully at the art Brooke had placed on the walls. "As to what I am doing here, I received a disturbing call from Martin this morning. He says that you want your company back, now that you've finally divorced that leech, Jared."

"Yeah. Yes." Brooke cleared her throat and sat up, trying to stop the pounding of her head and the spinning of the room as they began to talk business. "As per our agreement. The company is safe again, now that I have divorced Jared and it's in no danger, so we just need your signature to transfer it back into my name."

"That…is going to be a problem." Victoria said, examining her nails. She leveled her gaze on Brooke, who squirmed under the coldness of the eyes that beheld her. "I warned you about Jared, but you did not listen. And yes, we narrowly avoided disaster this time, but who's to say we won't fare worse the next time you decide to pull a stunt like that again?"

Brooke was still stuck on the first half of the sentence, where she heard the word 'problem'. "So, wait. What are you saying?"

Victoria sighed. "The board and I have decided that the company will remain in my control. You have proven yourself to be immature, irresponsible, and a liability to the company, so you may want to consider looking into another line of work."

"But it's my company! ""You can't have B. Davis without B. Davis!"" Brooke protested, growing cold at the thought of what was happening.

"Please. Companies do it all the time." Victoria said dismissively.

"But what about my savings? All the money stocks and savings and bank accounts I had moved to your name? Those weren't part of the company, those were mine!" Brooke said, desperate.

"Yes, well, not very smart of you to turn them over, was it? Think of it as a hard life lesson. You should never trust your money to anyone but yourself. Wars are fought over half of what you had, and you signed it over to play house for a year. I thought I raised you better than that." Victoria said, gathering her belongings.

"But I trusted it to _you_; you're my mother!" Brooke said in disbelief.

"True, I am your mother," Victoria mused, "but I am also your business partner." Her voice hardened. "And as your business partner I am telling you that it was not a smart move, handing over everything you possessed for a piece of ass. You deserve to reap the consequences of your actions. And as your mother I say, consider it payment for taking care of you for the past 28 years."

Victoria walked to the doorway and paused. "Oh, and, you are going to need to find other lodging at the end of the month. We are going to need this penthouse for the business, so you will need to find somewhere else to stay permanently."

"Mother…" Brooke pleaded, scrambling out of bed and racing to the living room, where Victoria had almost made it to the door.

"How many times have I told you, call me Victoria!" Victoria said exasperated. Catching Brooke's expression, she frowned. "Oh don't look at me like that. I'm not leaving you destitute! Martin told me Jared is giving you almost 11 grand a month. That's 125,000 a year, much more than most _working_ people make. It'll do you good to not be so spoiled. Learn that you can't have everything you want."

Victoria opened the door, and taking once last look at Brooke, standing there, still in last night's clothes that were rumpled from having been slept on. "And try not to break anything when you tantrum about how unfair life is. I'd hate to have to take you to court for property damage."

As the door closed, Brooke slid to the floor, stunned at the turn of events. Was it only last night that she celebrated, on top of the world at having escaped being taken advantage of? The tables had turned, and the joke was on her. She had avoided the snake in the grass, only to be bitten by the one hiding in her own house.

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A/N: Anybody feeling sorry for Brooke? Surprised Bitchtoria had it in her? You know what to do… review and tell me how happy you are the sequel is finally here. I know I am!

Just so there are no surprises, I am aiming to be on every reader's favorite author or favorite story list by the end of this baby. My ultimate goal is to be on my favorite author's favorites list (I prob need to update that myself!). I have about 30 chapters to make it happen, so here we go!


	2. Returning Home

A/N: Hello lovelies! I've missed you all and I am so happy to hear from all of you! 34 reviews! Wow guys. I feel the love. And because of the love you have shown me (you spoil me guys you do), Im going to spoil you with an extra update! YAY!

I'm glad you guys loved the start. Me too! Thank you to all who favorite author and favorite storie'd me! It gives me warm and fuzzies to know how much you guys love the story (and me).

Now you know about my long author's notes- a small price to pay for an update I think. Anywho…

Brooke was devious in giving to her company to her mother, and its unfortunate it backfired, because she was trying to protect the company in her own way. She had no idea her mother would betray her like that, but then she doesn't know Victoria like we do, right guys? Ideas came from season 5 and 6, how Victoria went behind Brooke's back to talk to Rachel, and how Brooke actually gave her half the company, and Victoria wouldn't give Brooke baby Brooke when Brooke had given her every other part of the company. So to me, there are no depths to which Victoria will sink (as you will see…). If you remember, we all thought Victoria had Brooke beat up in season 6.

- I hope this answers your question, Firestarterchik and AnnOTH21

TreeHillLove23- There is Jared in this chapter, then he is no more. And Brody? If I could, the characters would have been Peyton, Brooke, and Brody, because he is VERY prominent in this fic. Alas, my fictional characters are not officially a part of the Tree Hill Community, so I could not put him as a main character, but he is one.

EdwardandBellafan- I appreciate your dislike of people asking for reviews, and as a reader I agree with you in your discontent with people who ask for reviews and then don't give the update on the promised day. However, as a writer, reviews do give the muse an extra boost that is sometimes needed to crank out a chapter when it may have taken longer without them. You are welcome to your opinion, however, I believe it is a benefit to having prewritten fics that I can give readers an EXTRA chapter for their dedication to telling me what they think about my work when they don't have to, hence, the _extra_ update on Wednesday every 100 reviews.

Kelsey's Evolving- I have no intention of yelling at you. Write when you can. I'm waiting patiently for an update to Archways and Endings, but the muse comes when it comes.

Leytonfan3223- You're welcome! I promised you a sequel and here it is. Plus, I love this fic as much as I hope you guys will.

Maygen Lauren- Brooke's not so sweet, cause remember, she tricked her husband in the first place. But it's not her fault. She has been influenced by Victoria for 10 years.

Lukenpeyton4ever- I can promise you there will be no Brucas except for maybe a flashback of when Brooke first found out she was pregnant.

YAY YAY bjames328! Good to see you! :)

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Chapter 1: Returning Home

July 2nd, 2016

She had been reduced to taking the bus. That's how broke she was- so broke, she couldn't even fly from New York to Tree Hill. She, who not even 6 months ago, hopped to Paris and back to do some shopping, had to budget to make it to North Carolina by bus, the cheapest method of travel.

It was amazing how quickly life could change. The friends who had no problem helping her spend her money when she had her American Express black card, could not be found when she needed a place to stay temporarily after the end of March had come and gone. She could not find affordable housing in enough time to move out of the 5th avenue apartment, because Jared had wised up to the legal system and had gotten his job to cut his official paycheck and give him the balance in 'bonuses,' reducing her 25% alimony check to $1,000 a month. In New York, the only thing you could afford with that was a one bedroom apartment, _if_ you had a friend to split the rent with. And as she found out, she was horribly short on those.

Yes, Jared had learned from the best and used her own trick against her. So she was forced to stay in extended stay motels, selling her clothing on E-bay and Craig's list for cash, because she no longer had any need for couture, and there was nothing else she could do for money. She had no degree- after she graduated high school she went straight into the fashion industry. And since her mother's name was on all the business dealings of Clothes' Over Bros, she couldn't even tout her brand as experience, even though she had done a lot of the work. The one job interview she had that looked promising was ruined by the reference given by Victoria Davis, who Brooke had to put down because there was no one else. As a reference, Victoria had told the employer that she herself wouldn't hire Brooke, and Brooke was her daughter.

Needless to say, she did not get the job.

So here she was, headed to Tree Hill, to the only option she had left. It had been 10 years since she had been there, 9 years since Peyton said she could come home at any time on her podcast, 6 years since she had maintained any contact with that part of her life, even from a distance. After Peyton announced she was pregnant and a sonogram appeared on the site touting 'It's a boy', Brooke had stopped checking Brody's website, and stopped reading Tree Hill's newspaper. She was afraid of how things would change now that Lucas was going to have a son with the love of his life. She had hopes he _wouldn't_ be like Dan and begin to treat Brody differently, but she was afraid to find out.

And who knew how Peyton would change now that she was about to have a son of her own? After all, Brooke's mother was a bitch; look what she had done to her, and they had a biological tie. Brooke didn't want to visit the site one day and find that it had not been updated, or even worse, watch the updates continue but the light in Brody's eyes grow dimmer and dimmer as time passed.

Brooke snorted, thinking back on it. Here she was, about to throw herself on the mercy and charity of a woman who she thought 6 years ago would begin to neglect her son.

It was just an excuse, all of it.

She knew Peyton would continue to love Brody, regardless of how Lucas would react, because that's the kind of person Peyton was, the kind of person Brooke was counting on her to still be. Being brutally honest with herself, she had stopped going to the website because at the time she was almost 21 and living her life. She didn't have time to look at baby pictures and read about small town happenings, not when she had club openings and fashion shows to go to, interviews to do, celebrities that clamored for her designs, and men to play with. That was the real story, and there was no sense sugarcoating what couldn't be changed.

She had been stripped bare. With the loss of her company, her livelihood, and her social network, she was forced to re-examine everything. The flashlight had been shone on all the dark corners of her life, and she didn't like what she saw. Almost 27 and she was starting over, with no friends, no family, no money and no job, and she had no one to blame but herself.

Brooke shifted in her seat and prepared to exit the bus as it pulled into the terminal. She squared her shoulders as she stepped off the bus and gathered her things- everything she owned could now fit in a carryon and a suitcase. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

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The next day, she strode quickly up the walkway of a huge southern style house, two stories high, complete with rafters and a huge front porch that housed a porch swing and had millions of toys scattered around. An easel was spread open in one corner, an unfinished drawing of kids on a tire swing graced its page. Brooke followed the direction the easel faced to the front yard, where said tire swing lazily turned in the breeze under a large tree, branches perfect for climbing. Turning her gaze back to the door, Brooke took a deep breath, and knocked firmly on the door.

She stood anxiously, wondering what she would say when Peyton opened the door. She had been thinking about it all night, as she booked her extended stay room in the motel, as she unpacked her things, as she 411'd Peyton Sawyer's information, and not finding it, as she 411'd Peyton Scott and hit jackpot. A lot had happened in 6 years.

Brooke had saddened momentarily at the thought that she had missed her best friend's wedding. She beat herself up about it all night- she had made Peyton promise she could make the dress for her wedding, and but didn't bother to keep in touch enough to be informed of when it was, so she missed it. She had even made Karen a wedding dress back when it was exciting to Brooke to be 'in the know' with her Tree Hill family, but once the money and fame was good to her, she dropped that family like a bad habit. What a mistake that had been.

Brooke shook herself out of her musings. She could regret her actions all day, but it wouldn't change the past. She was down to her last dime, down to her last hope, resting on the mercy of a best friend she hadn't been a friend to in 10 years, and wouldn't be able to be much of a friend to now either. But at this point, it was her only option.

She rang the doorbell again, waiting impatiently for someone to answer. The neighborhood was noisy- the hum of a lawnmower, the bark of a dog, the squeals and shouts of children playing in backyards- a world so different from the one she'd just left, she felt like she was on another planet.

She wondered if anyone was home; there were several cars in the drive, but that didn't mean anything. They could be out-

The door opened before her, startling Brooke out of her musings.

"Hi!" a brown haired boy chirped, standing at the door. "Can I help you?"

Brooke stared. Of all the scenarios she had envisioned, none of them had her face to face with the son she had given up 10 years ago. His skin was tanned bronze, brown hair bleached with blond streaks from the sun, and blue eyes twinkling. He was sporting a blue polo shirt and blue and black striped white Bermuda shorts, with blue converse to round out the outfit, surprisingly well put together for a ten-year-old boy.

The boy frowned, and spoke again. "Can I help you? Who are you here to see? Do you want my mom or my dad?"

Brooke shook her head and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry. Yes. I was wondering if your mom, Peyton, was home?"

"Man, are you lucky! She's supposed to be in the studio today, but she hasn't left yet, so I'll go get her. You can sit on the swing if you want." He grinned, deep dimples appearing on both sides of his mouth. "Its fun."

He closed the door and shot off through the house, leaving Brooke alone to let the butterflies build up again in her stomach. She hadn't seen pictures of him since he was 3 years old- he was so tall, and handsome, the boy she had given birth to! At first glance, he looked like a mini Lucas, with his bright blue eyes and odd shaped nose. But the hair and dimples were all hers, and she smiled at the feeling of pride that it gave her to know that some of her genes had done him justice.

Oh, but his eyes. They still sparkled like they did in his baby pictures. It gave Brooke hope that Peyton was the same as she was in the past, and that the offer was still open to come home. Peyton still loved her son after having her own; it was possible that she still felt some connection to Brooke after all these years.

But who was she kidding? Life had taught her that people didn't exist who helped others, who gave something for nothing, who kept their word- friends that could be counted on existed only in fairytales, and the Peyton Brooke was hoping for more than likely only existed in her mind.

Losing her nerve, Brooke turned away from the door and walked quickly back to her rental car. There was no way showing up on Peyton's doorstep after 10 years of no contact could end well. She would just have to find another way.

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There was no other way. Brooke paced the tiny motel room, going over her options again, but there were none. If she _had_ another choice, she wouldn't have tried to throw herself on the mercy of a friendship 10 years dead, no matter how strong it was before then. But there was no other option, and Brooke resigned herself to the fact that she would have to deal with whatever Peyton had to throw at her- she had hit rock bottom.

411 was no help in figuring out where Peyton worked, so Brooke made her way to the library and googled Peyton's name and the word 'studio'. She had no idea what type of studio it would be, but she was guessing art- Peyton always had her head in a sketchpad, and the easel on the porch of her house was a dead giveaway. She was right- 'A Moment of Clarity' was an art gallery right in the heart of town that had gotten rave reviews in an article about it's owner, Peyton Scott.

Brooke parked her rental down the street from the studio and walked the remaining distance, giving her time to steel her nerves and calm the butterflies in her stomach as she stood in front of the gallery doors. She opened the door, and the bell tinkled merrily overhead, announcing her presence to what seemed to be no one- the gallery was empty.

Relieved at the brief reprieve, Brooke took the moment to wander around the gallery and look at the displays. It was definitely Peyton's gallery all right- the first piece of work she saw was of two boys playing basketball at what looked like the Rivercourt. Instead of it being their shadows on the ground, it was the shadows of two grown men, in the exact same positions the boys held. The outlines of the shadows looked familiarly like Nathan and Lucas, in poses they had assumed often in the last two years of high school, so she guessed that the boys in the picture were Jamie and Brody. The title of the piece was 'Shadows of Yesterday, Glimpses of Tomorrow.'

Brooke was still admiring the detail of the artwork when she was startled by a voice coming from across the room, "Everyone always stops at that piece first. Unfortunately, the original is not for sale, but I can do something similar for you if you are interested in a copy."

Brooke closed her eyes and let the sound of Peyton's voice wash over her, feeling a piece of herself click back into place. She swallowed in nervousness as she heard rustle of Peyton's clothing move closer and closer as she made her way across the room. Brooke turned, coming face to face with the woman she hadn't seen in any shape or form in 6 years.

"Welcome to A Moment of Clarity! My assistant stepped out for a moment, but is there something I can…help…you…with?" Peyton had made her way across the room with a smile on her face, a smile that slowly faded as the dark-haired woman standing before her turned and she caught a glimpse of her face. Her eyes must have been playing tricks on her, because the face before her was older, a little harder, and a lot colder than she remembered, but it bore a strong resemblance to the woman she once knew as…

"Brooke?"

Brooke was taking her own inventory as she saw her best friend in person for the first time in over 10 years. The years had been kind to her- she didn't look a day over 23, though Brooke knew Peyton was not much older than she was. Her hair had grown out, and the weight of it had pulled her curls into soft waves that spilled down her back. It was darker too, a mixture of more brown than blond instead of the platinum blond she remembered. She was still as skinny as ever, still dressed in the attire Brooke remembered- skinny jeans stuffed into knee high boots, and an oxford shirt half-buttoned to show the camisole underneath, which did nothing to detract from the youthful image.

"Hello Peyton. It's been a long time." Brooke said softly.

Peyton stared, unable to respond. When Brooke first left, she dreamed of this moment, the moment when Brooke came back. In her dreams, Peyton knew exactly what to say, what to do- she would squeal, wrap her arms around the bubbly brunette, and whisper in her ear how much she missed her and how glad she was that she had returned. But as the years passed, the dream morphed, and the welcome would cycle from a hug, to a distant wave, to anger, and then back to an embrace.

And after a couple of years, Peyton stopped dreaming of a homecoming that would never happen. Brooke had made her choice to cut all ties with Tree Hill and never looked back. So when the presents for Brody stopped coming and were replaced by checks, and when there was no response from Brooke about the events posted on the website as there had been in the past, Peyton had resigned herself to the fact that a friendship that began in preschool had died before they'd reached 18.

So her response was nothing like any of the ones she had in her dreams. She stopped her trek across the room and answered coolly, "Yes, it has."

Brooke looked around nervously, then brought her gaze back to Peyton's steady one before asking, "Is there someplace we could talk?"

In response, Peyton stared silently for a moment, before coming to a decision. Walking towards the door, she locked it and put up a tiny sign, then turning, made her way back to where Brooke assumed she had originally come from. She followed tentatively, after realizing that Peyton wasn't actually going to tell her to follow. Peyton held open a door and moved to the side, silently allowing Brooke entry into what must have been what Brody was referring to as the studio. Brooke stepped past Peyton and entered the open space, filled with natural sunlight from a skylight overhead, walking through the maze of canvases and easels and artwork ready for framing before making her way slowly to the couch that was facing a desk, glancing around furtively, attempting to take in her surroundings without appearing too nosy.

Peyton silently made her way to her desk and took a seat, staring at Brooke the entire time. The silence became strained, neither woman making the first move to speak, as Peyton stared at Brooke and Brooke stared down at her hands.

It was Peyton who finally spoke. "What are you doing here?" she asked simply. She had been wracking her brain on how to break to the silence, half-hoping that Brooke would begin the conversation, since she was the one who appeared out of the blue after 10 years without contact. But when she didn't, Peyton thought and thought about a good first line, only to grow frustrated at the silence and blurt out what was on her mind in the simplest form.

Brooke started at the sound of Peyton's voice. She had grown paralyzed in the silence- now that the moment was here, she found that the words wouldn't come. In a way she was grateful that Peyton took the first move, but she found that the words still wouldn't come.

"Th-this…" Whoa. A stutter. She was more nervous than she thought. Brooke cleared her throat and tried again. "This is really hard for me to say. I know, I've been gone a long time, and I know this is out of the blue, but I…I don't know how else to tell you this. I…" Before she could finish, Peyton jumped in.

"Don't tell me you've come back for Brody!" Peyton got up, agitated. "I know you have done well for yourself, but it's been almost 10 years, Brooke! Lucas and I are his parents, and just because you've changed your mind, you can't just waltz back in here and decide you want to be his mother full time now. I don't care how much money you have!"

"I don't." Brooke protested, then paused. "Have any money, I mean." Well, that was not how she had planned on telling Peyton she was broke, but Peyton's assumptions had broken her train of thought. Peyton stopped her tirade and stared at Brooke, confused.

Brooke forged on, upset that she had frightened Peyton with her inability to be direct and come to the point. Of course that was where her mind would go- why else would Brooke be sitting in her office, right?

She hurried to clear up the misunderstanding. "I'm not here to take Brody from you and Lucas. As far as I'm concerned, you are his mother, and there is no doubt Lucas is his father. I'm here because I've been left destitute, and I have noone else to turn to." She looked back down at her hands. "Nowhere else to go."

Peyton sat back down in her chair, shocked, yet relieved. She would not have to fight to keep her son. But what did Brooke mean, she was broke? She was the owner and founder of a multi-million dollar enterprise. "What happened?" Peyton said, still trying to make it work in her head. Giving up, she waited for Brooke to explain, still a little shaken by the spurt of adrenaline brought on by her assumption.

Which she did. Haltingly, Brooke took Peyton through the series of events that led her to Peyton's doorstep. Peyton didn't speak, she just listened as Brooke told her the story, passing her a box of tissues when she saw the tears that began to make their way down Brooke's cheeks.

Surprised, Brooke touched her hand to her face, her fingertips coming away wet. She was crying! She couldn't remember the last time she shed real tears. She had cried before today, but they were often to manipulate someone into doing what she wanted, not because of any real emotion.

Brooke looked up as she sensed movement from Peyton. She froze, not sure what Peyton's reaction would be. Would she bitch-slap her for only coming home in a crisis? Would she turn away and say with false sympathy that she couldn't help her? Or worse, would she pull out a petty cash drawer give Brooke the contents, stating that was all she had and wishing her the best of luck?

Brooke was shocked when Peyton sat next to her and put a comforting hand on her back. "I see Bitch-toria hasn't changed much since high school." She said, startling Brooke into a laugh.

"No, she has perfected her bitchiness to a level even I didn't expect." Brooke again, her breath catching as she laughed and sobbed at the same time.

At once Brooke found herself enveloped in a hug, the familiar scent of Peyton's hair against her nose sending shock waves of comfort straight to her soul, the first genuine hug she had received in 10 years relaxing the tension in her body. Peyton pulled back and sighed, staring at Brooke for a moment before beginning to speak.

"Well, I _did_ say no matter what, and isn't the saying 'better late than never'? We can't let Victoria break you down, so you'll just have to stay with us until you can get back on your feet and find a way to fight back. Besides, I've been waiting to say these words for 10 years now, so Luke is just gonna have to deal with it."

Peyton pulled Brooke back into a hug, holding her tightly and whispering in her ear words that caused Brooke to break down completely. "Welcome home, B. Davis. It's about time you showed up."

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A/N: Peyton Scott huh? Another kid huh?

Notice the long chapters? Its gonna be that way for a while! I was inspired by Sheena and Amanda. You can thank them (smc-27 and DKnAK)

I know some people will love it, and some people will hate that Peyton just let Brooke back in. So tell me what you think- Believable? Too fairy tale a welcome? Write your opinions in a review!


	3. Meet the Family

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! Im glad you found it believable Peyton would take Brooke back. For those who think it's too easy, be patient. Remember, its been ten years. A lot has happened. Maybe things that will explain why Peyton was so willing to be forgiving. Maybe in this lovely long chapter? Enjoy.

Tweetie! Good to see you! Love the predictions!

Firestarterchik- no BRUCAS! Leyton will be happy- little tiffs only

Kigal001- I like Julian too, but _if_ he does come to town, it wont be for another 15 chapters or so.

RJ! My man! It brings me special joy when my writing makes you write more than good post (though you know that too is also fully acceptable from you, my friend)

DKnAK- If you like long chapters, you'll love this one! 10 pages!

Hello there Skittlebox- thanks for joining us! Loving your fic, by the way. YAY updates! Brody did not know it was Brooke at the door. To him it was just a stranger. I haven't described Brooke- but her hair is different, and she is mad skinny- like 15 pounds underweight model type thing goin on, so even if he had seen pics of Brooke in high school, he wouldn't have put it together.

Annie, are you out there? Just give me a little 'uds' so I know you're reading since I cant send you a message to make sure.

Do you guys want me to describe Brooke, or is the harder, colder, short hair (think season 5 before it grew out) sufficient?

Ok on with the show

Disclaimer- stuff in "" "" is from the show, and not mine.

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Chapter 2: Meet the family

July 4th, 2016

Brooke pulled up to Peyton's house and took a deep breath. She was surprised at how nervous she still was, even though the hardest part was over. She was relieved at how well the reunion with Peyton had gone, but they had over 10 years of friendship to fall back on, and in her heart Brooke had always known that Peyton would always forgive her B Davis for things no one else in her world could get away with. She had proven it too many times in high school.

She wasn't so sure however, about her reception from her other friends, the people who had witnessed her desertion of her best friend, and the effect it had on Peyton in the 10 years she had been gone. _They_ might not be so welcoming. But Brooke consoled herself that the person that truly mattered had welcomed her- she considered everything else a penance she was willing to pay.

The neighborhood sounded the same- squeals and yells from children mixed with the din of male laughter and the smell of barbeques on grills. It was the fourth of July after all, and small towns loved to celebrate their national holidays.

After Brooke's emotional meltdown, Peyton had gone with her back to the tiny motel room, and upon perusing the dingy surroundings and taking note of Brooke's two suitcases, or as Brooke explained to her, 'Everything I have left,' she suggested immediately that Brooke check out the next morning and bring herself and her things to the house tomorrow for the annual independence day Scott barbeque.

The only reason Peyton suggested waiting until the next day was so that she could have time to tell Lucas the plan and break the news to her kids that they would be getting a new houseguest for a while, otherwise Peyton would have taken Brooke home at that moment. When Brooke voiced her concern that Lucas would probably have a problem with Brooke staying with them, Peyton smirked and raised her eyebrow, a glow entering her eyes.

"He won't after I finish 'convincing' him it's a good idea."

Brooke laughed, surprised but pleased at the confidence Peyton had in her dealings with Lucas. The Peyton she had known had always been unsure in her relationships.

She walked up to the door and rang the bell. Much like the last time, the door was opened by Brody. Today he had on a Ralph Lauren short set, a red polo shirt with the baby blue rider logo, and knee length white shorts with baby blue and red stripes on them. He finished the outfit off with red converse sneakers (definitely a Peyton style choice), and he had combed his hair so that it stood up in baby spikes any model for GQ would be proud of. The kid was meticulous with his appearance, while at the same time being patriotic on this day of independence. Since neither Peyton nor Lucas paid much attention to their wardrobe, Brooke had a feeling this little personality quirk, courtesy of her genes, drove his parents crazy.

"Hello, can I…hey, you're the lady who was here yesterday! Mom said we were expecting company today!" He flashed his dimples at Brooke and exited the house, closing the door behind him.

"She said to bring you to the back when you got here, and I wanted to be the first to see you, since she wouldn't tell us who you were, just that you were a friend who is gonna stay with us for a while." He walked around the porch as he talked to Brooke, running down the steps that rested on the side of the porch, before following a dirt path to the back of the house, where the squeals and shouts of laughter got louder and louder.

Brooke chuckled to herself at how two broody people could raise such a gregarious, outspoken, and cheery child, before she remembered once again that while Peyton and Lucas raised him, half of his genes were hers. Brooke was happy to spot yet another piece of herself in this child she created, before turning the corner and entering a world of chaos, realizing that maybe 'broody' wasn't a word that described the Sawyer/Scott duo any longer.

She tried to take it all in, but it was a lot. Not even taking into account the shouts and laughter from the people that ran around the huge backyard, the sight itself led to information overload. Tables were turned on their sides with blond and brown heads peeking out behind them; small bodies were hidden behind plastic forts and other immovable objects; a little boy with curly brown hair was hanging from the tower connected to a slide at the top of a swing set, one hand cradling a water balloon while the other held tight to his perch.

Brooke couldn't believe her eyes, but she wouldn't be surprised if it _were_ Jake Jagielski manning a giant grill at the corner of the yard closest to the house, a safe distance from the chaos of the rest of the backyard. Brooke caught sight of what looked like Nathan Scott ducking behind a tree deeper in the yard, before her gaze came back around and found Brody, who was opening the side door to a screened in back porch. She followed him into the porch, and stood beside him awkwardly as he called through the screen. "Mom! I brought her to the back!"

"Thanks Einstein!" A voice shouted back from behind a bush. Brooke watch as Peyton emerged, calling out a time-out so that she wouldn't get ambushed, before walking over to a bucket in the middle of the yard and dropping the water balloon she held inside. She made her way to the porch, and Brooke could see she was drenched from head to toe, though she was smiling broadly. She started speaking before she made it to the screen door. "You couldn't stand it for one more minute, huh baby?" She said, opening the door and pulling Brody into her embrace, ruffling his hair.

"Hey!" he protested, smoothing it back into place and wiping away at the droplets of water that had fallen onto his outfit.

Chuckling, Peyton stepped back but ran a hand over his head again. "It's okay, I love you anyway, my little male fashion plate. Go sit and watch. I already let the others know you were done playing and you don't want to get your outfit wet."

Brody grinned in relief. "Thanks, mom." He said, before making his way to the other side of the porch where the lounge chairs were, fixing his hair as he went.

Shaking her head, Peyton turned to face her visitor. "Brooke! Just in time!" She said, reaching out to pull Brooke into a hug, but checking herself when she realized she was soaked.

"Hi Peyton," Brooke said uncertainly. "I wasn't sure what time to come- and I think I'm overdressed." It was true. Used to upscale parties, and worried about making a good first impression, Brooke had pulled out the best outfit that she had left- an red strapless polyester dress paired with strappy Payless heels, heels that had already made walking on grass an effort of gargantuan proportions.

Peyton looked her up and down, then laughed. "Um, yeah, I think you're right. It's a good thing you brought everything with you. Let's go get your things out of the car, and I'll show you to your room so you can change into something a little more outdoor friendly."

Peyton walked Brooke to the front through the house, mindful of her shoes, for which Brooke was grateful. It was a straight shot from back door to front, walking first through the spacious kitchen and down a hallway where a living room opened off the side and a stairway towered over them. They made their way to the car, and gathering all of Brooke's things, brought them back into the house. Brooke did her best not be obvious in her stares as she took in the myriad of photographs that lined the walls, interspersed with art paintings, album covers, and book posters.

Peyton led her to a door off the kitchen which turned out to be the entrance to a finished basement, and down the stairs to where what looked to be the kids (of all ages) playroom resided. Peyton opened a door to what was termed the mother-in law suite- a bedroom with a connecting bathroom and small kitchenette. "Lucas and I laughed at this when we bought the house, because he doesn't have a mother in law and my mother in law lives not even 5 minutes away. Who knew it would come in handy one day?" Peyton said, patting Brooke on the back as she led the way into the bedroom.

Brooke was overwhelmed at the generosity that Peyton was displaying. She sat down heavily on the bed and put her face in her hands. Peyton knelt in front of her, concerned. "What's wrong, are you okay?"

Brooke shook her head. "I thought it was too late!" she sobbed.

"Too late for what?" Peyton said, confused.

Brooke shook her head, attempting to pull herself together. Peyton left and came back, holding tissues in her hand she must have gotten from the bathroom. "Too late to come back." Brooke whispered.

Peyton shook her head. "I meant what I said to you in my podcast. I figured you would listen to it one day. There is no statute of limitations for family. And in my book, you have always been my family, Brooke Davis. I mean, we practically raised each other middle and high school, which is probably why we were so messed up." They both shared a laugh at that thought.

"When I said you could come home no matter what, I meant it." Peyton pulled Brooke's face up to meet her gaze. "You weren't the first person to leave me, but you definitely weren't the last, and there have been too many occasions where I've let my anger stop me from letting people back in, and all that ever did was waste time I didn't know was limited.

Peyton's eyes unfocused with memories from the past. ""One thing I've learned…is you've got to grab every second you have with the people you love.""

Her gaze refocused on Brooke. "Am I angry you stayed away so long? No doubt. But am I going to let that stop me from being glad you're back? No. People always leave, but sometimes they come back." Peyton said seriously. "I missed you."

Brooke nodded and smiled through her tears. "I missed you too. I wanted to come back so many times before, but I was scared you would be angry that I had been gone so long. I was afraid you wouldn't want me back. I guess I didn't believe you were serious about me being able to come home."

"I was." Peyton said simply.

She frowned. "Now, if you leave again without keeping in contact and drop of the face of the earth again, you won't be able to come back, because you will be dead, because I will find you and beat you down and kill you."

"I forgive you for teenage girl and Bitch-toria influenced stupidity, but there is no excuse for grown woman stupidity. I am introducing you to my kids with the understanding that you will be in their lives from now until forever, and that, Brooke Davis, is non-negotiable. You hurt them, you hurt me, and I hurt you. Got it?" Peyton said, seriously.

Brooke nodded. "Got it." Far from intimidated, she felt secure in the threat Peyton had just issued. Peyton was taking a huge risk in letting her, New York socialite with a past filled with scandalous behavior and a 10 year disappearance, get involved so quickly in her family's life- it let Brooke know that Peyton on some level believed that Brooke could be trusted, and the old Brooke still existed somewhere inside. That was a belief that at times even Brooke herself didn't put too much stock in, but she was determined to find the person that Peyton knew and loved all those years ago and bring her out again.

Peyton nodded again in affirmation, before smiling widely. "Now that we've got that out of the way, ready to meet the fam?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Brooke said, wiping her eyes and standing up.

"Not quite." Peyton laughed, then gestured to her clothes. "We totally forgot the reason we came down here. Change into something comfortable and washable, and I'll be right back to take you outside to meet everybody." And with that, Peyton swept out of the room, leaving Brooke to pull herself together.

Brooke quickly changed clothes and shoes, putting on her own converse sneakers (a subtle wardrobe change that made her feel closer to Peyton over the years), going into the bathroom and washing off her makeup, which had begun to smear anyway from the crying jag she just had. She finished just in time to hear a knock on the door as Peyton re-entered the room, having also changed into something dry. "Much better," Peyton said, smiling at Brooke's Capri pants, sneakers, and cotton halter top.

They made their way back upstairs and through to the back screen door. Peyton stopped at the door and looked out at Brody, who was on a lounge chair playing what looked to be a Nintendo DS.

"What'd you think of our boy? Handsome isn't he?" Peyton said, smiling as she pointed him out to Brooke.

"He has my hair" Brooke said hesitantly, unsure of how treacherous Brody territory was, especially given Peyton's reaction the other day.

"And your dimples, and your personality, curse you!" Peyton laughed. "It's a good thing I had practice dealing with you all those years, otherwise, Lucas and I would have gone crazy dealing with Einstein by now."

"You still call him Einstein?" Brooke asked confused.

Peyton grinned. "It just fit, I guess. And he hasn't told us to call him something else, so it stuck. Anyway, let me introduce you to everyone." Grabbing Brooke's arm, she led her out of the screened porch and into the sunlight yard.

"Everybody! Cease fire!" Peyton shouted. Putting her fingers to her mouth, she whistled, bringing the game to a halt. "Front and center people! We've got big company!"

"Momma, who is it?" William said, sliding down the slide and running over to grab Peyton around the legs.

"You have to wait, Scooter. I'm gonna tell everybody at once." Peyton laughed as he head butted her leg in frustration. "Patience, my little Taurus, patience." She said, half hugging, half-patting his back to soothe him.

Slowly people left their hiding spaces, and Brooke picked out Skills, Nathan, and Haley, as well as a boatload of kids she didn't recognize. It _was_ Jake that had been manning the grill. She had obviously missed a lot. "Where's Lucas?" Brooke whispered, as everyone made their way over to where Peyton and Brooke were standing.

Peyton looked around, then shrugged. "He must be in the house, the cheater."

"Cheater?" Brooke questioned.

"Yeah. Instead of getting soaked like me, he probably went in the house to get…" Peyton didn't get to finish her explanation, because they were interrupted by Skills, who was the first of the grownups to be close enough to recognize who Peyton was standing with. "Well if it isn't Brooke Davis! _Long_ time no see, girl!" he said, walking over and giving her a hug.

"Did you say Brooke?" Nathan was next. "As in Brooke Davis? Man, is the world coming to an end or what?" He pulled her into a hug. "Bout time you came back home!"

Brooke smiled tremulously, holding back tears. She was unprepared for the welcome she was getting, as if she had been gone 10 days, not 10 years.

Jake was next. "I didn't think I'd see _you_ in Tree Hill again!"

Brooke, gaining confidence at the warm welcome she was receiving so far, attempted a joke herself. "I could say the same about you too, Mr. Jagielski."

Everyone laughed at that. "Hoho! Touche! Touche." He said, grinning and pulling back to let others in the small circle that had formed around Brooke and Peyton.

It was Haley who helped bring Brooke back down to earth. "Hello Brooke," Haley said simply, as she came over and stood at a distance, reaching down and picking up a little boy who looked to be four or five.

"So now that the gangs all here- some of you might remember her from high school, some of you have never met her before in person, though I think every female here owns a piece of her clothing line," Several chuckles passed through the crowd at that, because it was true. "Everybody, this is Brooke. Everybody, say hi to Brooke." A chorus of hi's and hello's echoed through the yard.

"Brooke this handsome young man attached to my leg is my son, William Nathan Scott, better known as Scooter." Peyton said, beginning the introductions with the curly headed, green eyed boy with the death grip on her leg.

"I'm 6!" he said loudly, making everyone laugh.

"He just turned 6 in May, so he likes to practice saying it every chance he gets," Brody said disgustedly, rolling his eyes as he walked up to join the crowd.

"Says the man who is counting down to his birthday that's over a month away." Peyton chastised as Brody ducked his head and grinned sheepishly.

"And you already met my oldest, Brody Sawyer Scott, also known as Einstein, soon to be 10." Peyton said.

He grinned and said hello again, as Peyton moved down the line of kids. "And the beautiful brown-haired, brown- eyed girl that just mussed Brody's hair is Lily Roe Scott, who is 9, Karen and Keith's daughter." Peyton laughed as Brody began to chase Lily around, trying to catch her and pay her back for messing up his hair.

"And this handsome rugrat is my son, Antwon Jr." Skills said proudly, picking up a giggling little boy of about 3 years with skin the color of mahogany, black eyes and curly dark hair.

"My name is James Lucas Scott, and I turned 9 last month." Jamie said, coming forward to shake her hand. He pointed to where Haley was standing, taking over where Peyton left off. "And that's my brother in my mom's arms. His name is Brian Scott, and he's 4." He leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. "He doesn't like to tell anybody his middle name, 'cause it's a girl's name."

"Is not!" Brian said from Haley's arms, pouting.

"That's right, Bri," Peyton soothed. She turned to Brooke. "The official story is that he is named after Peyton Manning, Nathan's favorite football quarterback.

"But everybody knows it's after Aunt Peyton!" Jamie laughed, taking off running as Brian struggled out of his mother's arms and began to chase him.

"James Lucas Scott, you stop teasing your brother!" Haley said, yelling after them.

"Yeah," Skills said softly, so Jamie couldn't hear. "Or we'll tell everyone _he_ was named after his 'real' father." Skills said, shooting a glance at Nathan and smirking.

Nathan slapped Skills upside the head. "Dude, that joke is still not funny, and there are still big ears present!" he said, nodding at A.J. and Scooter, who were listening in rapt attention.

"Oh, my bad," Skills said sheepishly. Hurriedly, he changed the subject. "My wife is coming by later. She works at the hospital, and couldn't get off until later this afternoon."

Jake jumped in. "Oh yea, and my wife is inside with Jenny and Jacob Jr." He grinned broadly, a proud father of a new baby boy, born just 6 weeks ago.

"Lets see, who else is missing? Karen, Keith, and Keith Jr ran to the store to get more ice, so they should be getting here soon, and you can say hi to them when they get back. And I think that's everybody." Peyton finished.

"Nice to meet all of you." Brooke said, smiling and waving timidly, overwhelmed by the vastness of the family before her. When she left, it was just 5 of them, with Jake and Skills still on the peripheral of the core unit, and if she were honest, Nathan and Lucas still weren't sure if they were going to fully embrace the whole 'brother' thing.

"Ok, well! Brooke, glad you're back, but it's time to eat! Everyone, in the house, get into dry clothes, time for lunch, 'cause the burgers are done!" Jake said, clapping his hands and pointing to the house.

Lucas was making his way out of the house as everyone was scrambling to get in. A tiny little girl lay cradled in his arms, gripping him tightly as the kids pushed past him.

Peyton leaned down as Scooter stood on his tiptoes to whisper something in her ear. He ran off towards the house as Peyton hit her palm against her head. "Duh, Scooter's a genius, and I'm a horrible mother." She laughed. "Brooke, I'm sorry! That wasn't everybody. You haven't met…"

"Hey Peyt," Lucas interrupted, calling out from by the door. "Tink wants you. She didn't wake up well and is not feeling too hot."

"Is she okay?" Peyton said worriedly, forgetting that she was in the middle of a sentence and rushing over to the porch.

"Yeah, I checked her temp before I brought her out. She's fine. She just needs a quick mommy cuddle."

Peyton opened the screen door and pulled the little girl in her arms, hugging her close and whispering in her ear. The little girl curled into Peyton's arms, her head hitting a familiar spot in the crook of her neck. Lucas looked out into the yard, and, noticing Brooke, nodded once to her before making his way back into the house. Brooke felt slap of his cool gaze even from a distance, once again being hit with the realization that not everyone was happy to have her back home.

She pasted a smile on her face as Peyton made her way back over to Brooke, cradling the little girl in her arms. "And this little one is my youngest, my little miracle baby, Anna Kayley Scott, but everyone calls her Tink. She turned two this February."

"Why do you call her Tink?" Brooke said, smiling and rubbing the little girls arm in hello.

She gasped as the little girl lifted her head from Peyton's shoulder and stared at Brooke solemnly. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, glittering brightly from the leftover tears that hadn't made their way down her face, but hadn't yet dried up. Her hair was straight like her father's, not curly like her mother's as Brooke would have guessed, and it was as if her skin was made of the finest porcelain. "Peyton, she's beautiful!" Brooke breathed. "Hello, little one!"

Tink just stared, silently, before laying her head back down on Peyton's shoulder and sighing, closed her eyes.

Peyton shook her head and patted Tink on the back. "My kids, you gotta love 'em" She looked at Brooke. "Don't feel bad. Tink is just naturally quiet, plus she just woke up from a nap, so she's probably still sleepy."

"She's so tiny." Brooke breathed, in awe of the little girls beauty.

"Yes, and if you believe Lucas, its because she takes after…"

"Your skinny ass, I mean butt. Your skinny butt." Brooke fixed herself, forgetting for a moment to clean up her speech in the presence of little ears.

Peyton laughed. "Don't worry, Lucas forgets too. Just last month we got a little note home from Scooter's teacher because whenever he messes up on his assignments, he says 'Dammit!', crinkles the paper up, and throws it across the room, just like his Daddy."

"Tinkerbell! I get it!" Brooke yelled out excitedly.

Peyton paused, confused at the change in subject, before following along. "Oh yeah, I never explained that. Yeah, the nickname stories are entertaining. You'll have to remind me to tell you about them later. But for now, we should probably head in and gets some food before it all disappears. This clan knows how to eat."

Tink lifted her head and made a motion with her hands. "Yes, my darling, momma will feed her little fairy, so she can eat too. I'll bet you Daddy has your plate all ready for you, 'cause you're his favorite girl." At her words, Tink beamed.

Brooke took it all in as they made their way inside the house. She had never seen such a beautiful little girl. She looked exactly like the little fairy on Peter Pan, it was uncanny! Already her mind was spinning with ideas, before she remembered she was no longer a designer for Clothes over Bro's.

Brooke saddened. She had missed so much of her true friends' lives, and all for a dream that had died suddenly, a dream that maybe wasn't hers to begin with, but just part of a carefully orchestrated plan by her mother. And now she was neither fish nor fowl, not fully New York or Tree Hill, and scrambling to find her center after having what she thought was a stable and noteworthy life ripped right from under her. She just hoped that as she scrambled to stay afloat, she didn't end up pulling anyone else down with her to drown.

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A/N: Did you recognize Peyton's line from season 2.21? Not mine, but it fit oh so well!

What do you think about the Scott barbeque? Surprised it was not at Naley's house? Surprised to see Jake? I was too, when he was the one manning the grill in my dream. But its cool how he comes back, as you will read about later (if you would like)

Review. Tell me all about the parts you loved, and how cool it is that Lucas has his baby girl and Peyton has her little boy. Oh and I forgot to mention what color Scooter's hair is. Or did I? Oversight or did I leave you clues to figure it out? Tell me what you think!


	4. Celebrate Good Times

A/N: Hey Guys! Brody kinda makes you look forward to Mondays, huh? :) Anywho, let the cookout continue, after I talk to my lovely reviewers.

Scooter is NOT Wills from William Sawyer, although the name is the same. The name is just something I could see Leyton naming their kid, so if I write other fics with Keith still alive, you will prob see the name again – Lucas's favorite author plus Lucas' brother's name= Leyton's male child's name. Scooter is Leyton's biological son and has his own little personality, as you will see soon, and his eyes are green and his hair is brown (he was the brown curly headed boy hanging from the slide last chapter) Why brown? Why not? Brooke always called Peyton a 'fake blonde,' not to mention both of Lucas' parents have dark hair, so the odds are one of the kids is comin out brown, and I thought it'd be interesting. It causes great dialogue between Leyton when Scooter is born, as you will see in ohhhh, 10 or so more chapters. heeheehee

Water balloon fights seemed like the thing to do with millions of kids on a hot summer day. It was Laley's thing, and now it's a Scott thing. If you want another one, just let me know.

LPS1805- you guessed correctly- the only one, so congratulations! Thank you for the review, and hope to see you do so again! There's nothing significant about William's hair color, just something for the readers to put together. Yes, Tink is tiny because she is a miracle baby, and it will all be explained in time, though you can PM me if you want spoilers.

M'sOTHisLP- good to see you! I always love how you review every chapter when you've missed one! And what is your real name? Writing out your sn gets me every time! Lol. BTW M's- that's your new nickname- I had to give Luke his little girl! And she is a trip, let me tell you. Better yet, watch and see! Im sure you know by reading the above paragraph that Scooter is not Wills, but you will see the reason for his nickname in a flashback in about 10 or so chapters.

RJ- Brooke is still stuck on how people were in high school b/c she didn't see the evolution, and her life in NY didn't really have people quite like the core 5 and family, as you will see. So a lot of things are gonna surprise her, even though we are like 'duh!' Remember, she didn't have the chance to grow as a person, because she left at the beginning of season 2, which means no Brooke for president, no friendship with Haley, no second relationship with Lucas, no living with Karen- all the things that made her a better person by season 5.

Oh and you called the BL- gotta wait for the BLP.

Firestarterchik- Tink is 2, and her gestures are baby signs. But there is a story there. PM me if you want a spoiler.

Iluvderekshepard- welcome, glad to see you! Its always fun to come to a fic and you can hit the next button. I enjoy that as well. I have had no vacation, so I have to live vicariously through you guys. At least, my sorrow is your joy, hence the 13 chapters already written of this fic. Lol.

Lizzy1234- Sorry, the chapters probably wont be longer often. They tend to be 5-7 pages. If you get a niner, it's a good day, though there are a lot more long chapters in this fic than in others.

AnnOTH21- I have great material to work with, since sometimes the kids scenes/ personalities come from kids I've worked with or babysat for. So you will see a lot of the kids interactions in this fic, like most of my others.

Bkworm52- you are right about Haley. She is cautious and on Luke's side, but remember, since Brooke was gone, Haley has also really stepped up as Peyton's best friend, as you will see in the flashbacks. And in a couple of chapters, her reaction will be explained, so hold tight. PM me about Tink if you want to know spoilers. She has a little personality of her own as well. I think the kids were more fun to write than the adults sometimes.

Grayfan- I love the Breyton friendship too! So like Leyton, they will most likely always be endgame!

Kathiria- I appreciate that you have reviewed every chapter! Thank you! And yes, I've gotta give Luke his little girl! Its okay you don't like Brooke in the house, but she has to be there so you can see Leyton's world, not to mention the fact that she has almost no money left.

Edwardandbellafan- no offense taken. Its squashed and done. You are welcome to your opinion, and I'm sure others appreciate you helping them to 100, even if you aren't reviewing for that reason, just as I appreciate reading what you have to say.

Lwrnld- good to see you again! Yeah. Peyton doesn't need to be like that any longer, her life is very fulfilling, and its hard to be dark when all your dreams come true. And you are spot on about Lucas, btw!

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Chapter 3: Celebrate good times

Lunch wasn't too bad for Brooke; after she was given a plate and instructions on the available food choices, she was pretty much left alone as everyone took care of their respective brood, and sometimes others. Karen, Keith, and Keith, Jr, or KJ as he liked to be called since his cousins also held monikers, arrived soon after the plates were divvied up, and Brooke received yet another warm welcome from the two parents of the group.

Brooke took it all in- she had never been a part of a family unit like this one before, and if she wasn't in it now, wouldn't have believed it existed. People didn't really get along so well in real life, at least, they didn't in her experience.

Jake looked to be truly in love with his dark haired wife, who had been in the house nursing Jake's son, Jacob Jr.; a love evident by how he catered to her, bringing her a plate of food, then pressing a soft kiss to her lips before taking JJ from her so that she could eat.

Jamie and Brian had obviously gotten over their earlier tiff, as Jamie helped Brian get his plate together, carried it for him, then sat next to him at the table with Jenny, Lily, KJ, Brody, and William. They broke immediately into animated conversation, absent of barbs and personal attacks- typical conversation of the few children Brooke had come in contact with- and filled with laughter and giggles. AJ ran back and forth between the kid's table and his father's lap, still young enough to prefer being with his father, but old enough to want to be in on what the big kids were doing.

The adults were all over the room, talking with, around, and over each other as they fell into a rhythm that was familiar to them. It was obvious they spent a lot of time together. It was hard to believe that Karen and Keith were Lucas' parents, since they fit comfortably in the crowd and didn't seem to have any dampening effect on the conversation.

At one point Lucas smacked Peyton's behind with his free hand as she walked by, and when she told him to "save it for later," everyone laughed, making catcalls and whistles, falling out even harder as Haley stood to take her plate to the sink and threw a "don't even think about it" over her shoulder, stopping Nathan in the middle of the arc of his hand about to make contact with her rear end.

Karen's reply to the play was to comment on how glad she was to have married a sophisticated man, and leaned over to give Keith a not so sophisticated kiss on the lips, to which Lucas covered his eyes and complained that he was scarred for life, and the rest of the table cheered for Keith, telling him he was the man.

It seemed as if Anna's feet never touched the floor- she was passed back to Lucas upon entering the house, who had in fact fixed her a plate and held it waiting for her. Obviously a daddy's girl, she latched onto her father and did not let him go until sometime after lunch, when Nathan snatched her from Lucas and ran outside with her, he and Skills playing 'give and go' with her as the ball, while the other kids laughed and cheered them on. It was apparent this was a game that had been played before, as Anna showed no fear, but allowed her arms to spread gracefully as she was tossed in the air from one uncle to the next, lending even more weight to her nickname; she was reminiscent of the pixie namesake as she flew into the men's arms.

Not to be undone, William clamored for his turn when they were done with Anna, who, not surprisingly, ended up in her father's arms again, content to be held while watching the other kids play.

Brody and Jamie had left the rest of the group right after lunch and had gone around front with a basketball, the sound of the ball hitting the pavement heard faintly if you were listening for it. Lily and Jenny ran to join them not much longer after them, but Brooke couldn't tell if they were going to cheer or play. With the adult influence that surrounded them, it could realistically be either one and Brooke would not be surprised.

She sat watching from the lounge chair on the screened porch, taking it all in and resting her brain from the experience overload. She felt as if she were in a foreign land, not sure of the rules and customs, but eager to learn, and a little frustrated that she didn't already know. She turned her head and smiled hesitantly at Brody, who apparently was done with basketball and had come to sit next to her on an adjacent lounge chair.

"Finished playing basketball already?" Brooke asked, not wanting the silence to get awkward but not really knowing what to say.

"Yeah. Lily and Jenny got tired of cheering, so they are whupping up on Jamie and KJ right now. I left so it would be fair." He hesitated. "And 'cause I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh?" Brooke said nervously. She and Peyton hadn't discussed what areas of discussion were taboo or not, but then again, she hadn't anticipated her and Brody getting any alone time either. She should have known better, though. Brooke might have birthed him, but Peyton raised him, and she wasn't known to hold punches.

"Mom used to tell me about how her best friend gave me to her and dad to raise, cause she loved me and wanted the best for me. Her best friend's name was Brooke." He waited a beat. "Are you that Brooke?"

Brooke wracked her brain for the best way to approach the conversation, not wanting to say something she shouldn't. She couldn't think of anything, so she copped out. "Is that what your mom told you? That I'm that Brooke?"

"Yeah, I kinda knew who you were at the door this morning." he confessed. "Mom told me last night. She said you were going to be staying with us for a while, and that if I had any questions for you, I should ask you while you were here." He looked out across the yard thoughtfully to where his mother stood at the bottom of the slide, cheering AJ on as he paused at the top, uncertain if he wanted to slide down. "You know my mom was adopted, right?"

Brooke nodded, then Brody continued. "Like me," he frowned. "Kinda. Anyway, she said that she always wished she had more time with her birth mom before she died so she could get to know her better. So she told me to ask you questions so I can know what you gave me and what she gave me, and be complete, or something like that." He shrugged. "Which is strange, 'cause I didn't know I was missing something. But that's Mom for you. Sometimes she gets like that."

"When did you know Peyton wasn't your birth mom?" Brooke asked curiously, surprised that he knew he wasn't Peyton's biological son.

"I've always known, I guess." Brody looked back at Brooke. "When I was little, they used to tell me how you left me on mom's doorstep, like a bedtime story. You know, 'Once upon a Time?' And then when I was older, Mom explained to me that she was my mom like Anna was her mom, and you were my mom like Ellie was her mom, and she didn't want to have any secrets from me, but if it was too confusing, we could talk about it."

"And did you?" Brooke said, unable to resist learning more about how much she had been in Brody's life without even realizing it.

"Yup. Sometimes." He grinned. "Mostly when she was complaining about how much I was like you, and I wanted to know what she meant. She always said that one day you'd be back, so I asked her what I was supposed to call you when you showed up. She said Brooke was fine, unless you told us something different; her name would always stay the same. But that was when I was little, and thought one day would be next week." He cut a glance at her. "When you never came, I didn't worry about it too much any more."

Brooke absorbed the blow that subtle (or maybe not so subtle) insult dealt her and pressed forward, eager to know more. "So in what ways are you like me?" She asked cautiously.

"Well, both Mom and Dad say my sense of style is all you, so thank you." He shared a grin with her, dimpling deeply. "And my hair is like yours, and my dimples, though dad claims they're his. Mom did a finger test and said that mine are definitely from you, 'cause the inside feels more like your dimple than dad's dimple."

He looked back out at his parents, who were currently sharing an embrace, Lucas having grabbed Peyton as she ran by chasing William. Anna was nowhere to be found, and such an odd occurrence for Brooke that she took the time to search her out, smiling as she saw that she was spending time with her grandmother, holding tightly to her hands as she attempted to walk. There was a story there, but Brooke would wait until it came up naturally, not wanting to ask questions that might lead to uncomfortable answers. It did clear up why the toddler was always in arms. Brooke just assumed she was spoiled, but now she was realizing there was a bit more to it.

"Lets see, what else. Aunt Haley calls me Tigger Jr. sometimes, 'cause I have a lot of energy like you. Uncle Nathan said I'm happy all the time 'cause you were happy all the time, though I don't get it, cause my parents are happy all the time too, even though Uncle Nathan calls them the 'broody duo'. But whatever."

He put his finger to his mouth and looked upward. "Dad says I don't like to read because you didn't, but I think it's because books are boring. Mom says I get my love of popular music from you, but I think it's from Uncle Nathan, cause we like a lot of the same artists. And Aunt Haley says you cursed me, 'cause I'm going to have to beat girls off with a stick when I get older, but Uncle Skills says that's not a curse, that's a blessing. So that's about it." He shrugged.

"So I don't really have any questions for you, cause I already know what you gave me. You gave me Mom and Dad, so that's all I really care about. But I'm glad you finally made it back home." He looked around, then leaned in. "I think Mom really missed you."

Brooke blinked back tears. "I missed her too." She admitted. She tentatively reached out and patted Brody on the back. "I think they did a great job raising you."

"Yeah," he said, accepting the compliment like a boy who was used to being told good things. "Mom says I'm awesome because she had great material to work with, but I tell her it's because I have a cool mom."

"Yes you do." Brooke grinned at him, only to look up as a shadow fell over them. They had been so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't realize that Lucas had entered the porch and had joined them.

"Hey Einstein. Your _mom_ wants you run to the front and tell everybody to get ready to go see the fireworks." He said, putting heavy emphasis on the word mom. He then grinned and ran his hands over Brody's hair.

"Hey!" Brody protesting, slapping his father's hands away.

"Oh, yeah, and she said you can change if you want to, but it's the last time for the day,"

Brody cheered. "Sweet! I have my fireworks outfit all ready to go. I won't be long."

"Tell the kids out front first!" Lucas called after him before shaking his head and chuckling. "Otherwise it'll be another 20 minutes before we can get him out from in front of the mirror." He said to himself, before remembering why he sent Brody away. His eyes hardened and his voice developed a chill.

"I recognize that Peyton has welcomed you with open arms, and I didn't have a problem with her telling Brody about you while he was growing up, because that is what she wanted, and I would do anything for that woman out there."

He sat down, and leaned in close. "But let's get one thing clear. I don't trust you. It was a shady thing you did 10 years ago, lying to me about not being pregnant, and it was a grimy thing you did to Peyton, leaving her to hold the bag for your mistake, and making her face the rumors and slander alone at 17, because you didn't want to take care of your own responsibility. And while I am eternally grateful that you didn't choose to get rid of Brody or give him up for adoption, I cannot forgive the fact that you didn't even have the decency to stick around and make sure he was going to be okay before hopping off to your glamorous lifestyle."

At Brooke look of shock, Lucas nodded. "Oh, I've been following your career very closely, _Ms_. Davis. I know how successful you've been, and exactly how you've been living for the past 10 years. I also know that if your mother hadn't taken away everything you owned, you would not be on this porch today. And that is what I can't forgive you for. My wife has waited for 10 years for some contact from you, and you couldn't even give her a phone call, send her an email, or even post a message on the guestbook of the website that you 'supposedly' have been checking for years."

Lucas paused, then looked around, making sure they were still alone before he continued. "So while my wife is ecstatic to have her best friend back in her life, she told me your little sob story, and I cant help but be suspicious that you are only here for as long as my wife can benefit you, and as soon as you are on your feet, you will disappear from her life again like you did before. So let's cut to the chase, shall we?"

He leaned in close to her. "How much money will it take for you to leave tomorrow? A hundred grand? 300,000? It's enough to get you on your feet again for a while, and we both know that you're only here because you have no other choice. So I'm giving you one."

"Wh…why are you doing this?" Brooke asked, shocked at Lucas's proposition.

"Because I love my wife, and I don't want her to be hurt because 6 months from now you will have found someone else to help you out and will be out of here without so much as a by-your-leave. Only this time, it wont just be my wife missing you, it will be my kids wondering why they all of a sudden don't have an Aunt Brooke anymore. So I'm just saving them from getting attached to someone who has no concept of loyalty, and no idea of what it means to be family."

"Does Peyton know about your offer?" Brooke said, holding her breath in anticipation of his response. She didn't know what she'd do if he said that Peyton not only knew of it, but approved.

"Peyton has no idea, and doesn't need to know that the best friend she has in her mind doesn't exist in real life." Lucas said forcefully.

Brooke let out the breath she was holding. Peyton hadn't sold her out- she was still willing to put in the time and effort to help her out as a friend, not a charity case, which was what she would be if she accepted Lucas' offer.

"No." Brooke said, voice cracking as she forced it out.

"_No?"_ Lucas said ominously.

"No!" Brooke said, a little more confidently. "I am here, not just because I need help, because I do. I'm here because I want my best friend back. And now that I know that she still wants me in her life, I am not going to let anyone stop me from being the person she believes I can be. Not even you."

Agitated, Lucas stood. "Fine. But I'll be watching you. And if you hurt her…" he threatened.

"Hurting her would be like hurting myself." Brooke said, offended.

Lucas just looked at her, disgusted. "I might have believed that 8 years ago, but when you graduated high school and became a self-sufficient adult, there was nothing stopping you from getting back in touch with her. Nothing at all. And _that_ makes me not believe a word you just said." He turned and walked away, into the house, leaving Brooke to ponder his words, devastated because she realized that he had spoken nothing but the truth.

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A/N: I actually enjoyed writing mean Lucas. How'd you guys like reading him?

I also enjoy writing Brody and his journey of having his birth mother in town. I hope I've answered some of your questions about whether or not Brody knew or not. He does! So far he seems okay with it. But will it stay that way? You guys are close to 100! Make it by my Tuesday and you'll get an extra update on Wednesday! Otherwise, next chapter up Friday.


	5. So What'd I Miss?

A/N: You guys are awesome! I love love love my long reviews! They make me smile inside and outside. Long reviews mean a long chapter, and not just cause my authors note is insane! You guy keep it up, and I might have to do extra reviews over the weekends too! If I decide to go there, do you want it on Saturday or Sunday? Now people had long reviews, so I have long answers, small price to pay for quick chapters. But after it, the longest 4th of july ever continues! lol

You know what guys- you are way smarter than me, cause I didn't even think about what would happen if Peyton found out about the money offer! So now Ill have to write it in. But it wont be for a while now, at least 10 chapters, cause the money Lucas offers her doesn't come up legitimately for a while.

A lot of you noticed that Tink is not acting like a normal two year old. I don't get into why until later, but I'll give you a little hint-she was born premature. I'm writing things so that you find out like Brooke finds out, and since nobody says, 'hey did I tell you why my child doesn't walk or talk yet?', if you want more than that you'll have to PM me. But you will get glimpses before the big reveal of all the things Tink can do!

Misshay16- don't worry, you'll get lots more of Brody in the coming chapters.

Hey Marybeth- glad to see you when I can! Just come back on Monday's Wednesdays and Fridays, and we're good! :)

Kathiria- There will lots of Leyton! Sometimes it will be little, like in the last chapter, sometimes it will be an LP scene. Lucas isn't happy Brooke is there, but he pretty much does anything to make his wife happy. Not to mention if Brooke didn't live there, half the storyline would be gone! Its not in Brooke's first person though, so some things will be NH, LP, LN, and even one scene where it's all the kids, though for a while its heavy Brooke.

Lukeandlorelaidaines- Im glad I was able to wow you! You are genious- spot on about lots of things in your review! I don't want to answer your questions about Tink here, but you can PM me if you cant wait.

Mcgirl- you are so right about Brody!

LPS1805- I always like Breyton friendship, and no, Brooke wont try to get Lucas back. They don't want each other at all because remember, she left after their first breakup, which means they were only together for a month- not enough time for any real knowledge of each other like they had the second time around. Plus, Brooke has no reason to be jealous of Peyton- she's always known that Luke liked Peyton, which is why they had so much drama their second time around. Since in this fic they didn't have all that, in her mind, Lucas ended up with who he was supposed to be with.

Bkworm52- You are spot on in the review. I hoped that would come across in the fic- Leyton is raising one confident boy. Brooke was always so self-assured even without her parent's affection- I just imagined that bubbly Brooke with awesome parents, and Brody is what emerged. You'll see it more later, though Brooke will def throw a monkey wrench in his happy little world. Change your mind whenever, I hope I didn't give away too much earlier.

Kelsey's evolving- You are free to disagree with me, and I still love you for it. I love criticism, cause sometimes I don't get characters right, and that's okay. Unfortunately, I know for a fact that birthing a child doesn't necessarily give you maternal feelings towards that child, just as I know not being biologically related doesn't stop some people from treating that child as their own, which is why I write my fics as I do. I am also pulling from the reality of the show- where Brooke's mom is not maternal towards her, and where Brooke, even in season 3, was not very kid friendly (think of the clothing episode with Bevin's cousins - ""what are those?!?!""). In her mind, Brody isn't not hers. He's Lucas and Peytons. Her tug is more towards getting her friend back, though you'll actually see her want to cultivate another relationship in the future chapters that she missed out on- any guesses as to who its with? As to Brody, yes he's ten, so in his world, things are black and white. His mom is his mom, and his dad is his dad, and he really isn't curious about his birth mom, since he's heard about her his entire life. Now if he was a teenager, or if Brooke had parented him at all when he was younger or if his parents had hidden the truth from him, he would probably be more torn, but developmentally, at ten, he's cool.

Skittlebox- Drama coming, though there is always a thread of fluff with some comedic lightening.

RJ-you are right, I really shouldn't doubt you guys, though I know from reading sometimes you can like a story up until a chapter goes in a way people don't like, and then they start dropping like flies. As for Brody and Brooke, Peyton won that argument a long time ago, seeing as how her actually living through having two mothers makes her the authority on the subject. He didn't mind Brody knowing about it (remember in AFB he was the one who said not to lie, but just let everyone assume Peyton was the birth mom), he just doesn't like Brooke being back in Tree Hill, because she has to be. I think if she was still rich and came back by choice he probably would be much nicer, but I also think Peyton would have a prob with her being gone for so long. Just a guess, since I didn't flesh out that scenario.

M's!- Love the long review. Take a breath, cause you gotta do it again, in oh, a couple more chapters. Looks like M's wasn't too far off! Since I wasn't on author alert, you should check out my one shots. They aren't as good as my chapter fics (very low reviews), so feel free not to review if you don't feel moved. Let me tell you, Scooter has me trippin sometimes, he is so Peyton- you'll see. Cant you just see the Scott boys just being in love with a little girl? Im seriously thinking bout giving Nate one, but then that would take away from Tink's spotlight, so Im still debating. BTW, the beauty of this fic here, is you don't have to pick sides. I don't pick sides either. Brooke is sorry, Lucas is angry, Nate is Switzerland, Peyton is peacemaker, Brody is undecided, and Scooter and Tink will take sides, but whose? My job is to get them all to a happily ever after that is believable. So stick around and tell me how I do!

Anon- beautiful review! Thank you. People like you are the reason I roll the dice with allowing anonymous reviews. I enjoy family dynamics- it is my life's work (Im studying to be a child psychologist), and I enjoy writing them. Im glad you like mean Lucas- you'll see more of him. A little spoiler for u in appreciation- tell me how you like Haley in next chapter, got some BPH, NH, and LN comin up!

Saints and sailors- Im sorry you don't like mean Lucas, but he's gonna be around for a while. But stick around, there are some other cool interactions comin up.

bjames!- I love this story too! Anything for Brody was my first fic, so I def think my writing has improved since then. Plus, this story is pretty much all me instead of rewriting OTH seasons 3 and 4, so I think that has made the difference, because this is by far my favorite fic to write and read! Tell me at the end of this chapter if I gave you enough, or if you want more. You'll understand what I mean when you finish reading.

jonas- I was definitely imagining the Lucas squint!

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Chapter 4 So What'd I Miss?

July 4 9pm

The house was quiet, a far cry from the general chaos and friendly mayhem that existed not even 20 minutes ago, as everyone attempted to get their respective brood ready to head to the fireworks. Brooke quietly told Peyton that she was staying at the house, feeling a little overwhelmed with the wholesomeness of everything. She kept waiting for fights to break out- between siblings, or spouses, or parents and children; for people to throw barbs and take shots at each other under the guise of sarcastic wit, but it never happened. Of course, voices were raised, children were chastised, and siblings were teased, but Brooke never felt the air turn malicious, and there was always a thread of affection in every voice, regardless of what was said.

It was a lot for one day, and Brooke was glad for the silence. She stayed in her room a while, listening as the last child was ushered out of the door and it slammed shut behind them, leaving her alone at last. It showed some measure of trust that they would leave her alone in their home- but really, what was she going to do, rob them?

No, she wasn't going to rob them, but she wasn't going to stay in her room either.

"Peyton should have remembered how nosy I am, so if I look around, technically its not snooping." Brooke thought to herself and she left the basement and headed up the stairs.

Curious, she skipped the first floor and left that for last; she'd spent plenty of time in it that afternoon already, and it was the least suspicious place to end in case someone came home early. She headed up the stairs, starting at the very top of the house; what she originally took for a roof outdoors turned out to be an attic type third floor space that housed what looked to be two small guest bedrooms and a bathroom. Heading back down to the second floor, she turned towards the front of the house, where what looked like the master bedroom and the nursery resided. Respecting Peyton and Lucas' privacy, and not wanting to see anything that might scar her for life, she went to the nursery first.

Peyton had taken Anna's nickname to heart. The room was done in blues and greens and whites, with Tinkerbell paraphernalia all over the place. Someone, probably Peyton, had done a mural, with one wall housing the Disney castle, and other walls showing Tinkerbell in various stages of flight and repose- smiling, giggling, flying up, flying down, hovering, sprinkling fairy dust- all of them connected by tiny white lines that made it seem as though she was truly flying through the room. There were Tinkerbell nightlights and decals on the white furniture, Tinkerbell sheets in the crib with a fairy mobile hanging above, and the carpet was light blue with stars on it, that made it look as if the fairy dust had landed on the carpet and stained it for life.

Brooke slowly left the room, heading to the other side of the staircase where two bedrooms shared a jack and jill bathroom. She went into the bedroom on the right first, and she guessed it was Brody's room, because the decorations were of an older bent. His room was done in dark blue, with what looked to be a sports theme throughout the space. A border filled with different sports equipment ran around the middle of the walls, and sports posters of Brody's favorite players mingled with drawn images of who Brooke assumed was Brody doing similar actions, with colored words of "basketball" and "football" interspersed throughout. There was a signed poster of Nathan of course, but also pictures of the local teams as well. Brooke stepped closer to one particular picture, where in it Lucas stood proudly with a young Brody and Jamie with the Tree Hill Ravens, Brody in an honorary uniform. Another picture had Brody in an honorary Bobcat uniform, surrounded by the Bobcat players, Nathan holding Jamie in his arms. A loft bed was against one wall, with what looked to be a futon underneath, and across from it, a set of bunkbeds were neatly made. It was surprisingly neat for a nine year old boy, but then, Lucas tended to be a neat freak as well in the time she'd spent with him. Brody sure didn't get that from Peyton, who was as messy as they come.

Peyton's genes were evident in William's room, as Brooke chose not to enter, but instead stood in the doorway, and took in the 2 sets of bunk beds against walls that sported a transportation theme. There were dump trucks, fire engines, buses, trains, cement mixers- if it had wheels, it was in the little boy's room. Even his sheets had fire engines on them, as did the pajamas that looked as if they were going to fall off the bed at any moment. Clothes, toys, and books lay scattered around the room, reminding Brooke of the times when she visited Peyton as a child, making her way through the jungle that was her room, every step an adventure- will she make it through, or be lost to the clutter?

Leaving out the bathroom and passing by William's door she discovered another room that looked to be a library, maybe office of some sort. The walls were floor to ceiling bookshelves, every inch crammed with books. There were a couple of desks in the room and couches, and Brooke wasted no time in there, though she took note of several book posters of the author Lucas Scott. She had heard about his books, since both of them had been on the bestseller's list, but she hadn't bothered to read them. The last time she read a book voluntarily was probably the book he had given her back when they were dating, and even that one was a means to an end.

In her journey she discovered another stairwell towards the back of the room, that lead her to first floor, out of a door she had earlier assumed was a pantry in the kitchen. On the first floor she took her time, looking at the photographs of children and family members in various poses that covered the walls, as well as portraits, much like the ones in Peyton's art studio, of the kids. She saw framed pieces of Peyton's old comic strip, as well as various journalism awards Lucas had won for his work at the paper. There was also a trophy wall, where there already were trophies for all types of sports, as well as ribbons for various modeling competitions. There were several coach of the year trophies- apparently Lucas was coaching the Ravens, which probably explained the picture in Brody's room.

A deeper look in the basement revealed that behind the kid's playroom, filled with board games, video games, and racks of DVDs, lay the 'adult' playroom, complete with a pool table and couches, but there was no tv. Puzzled, Brooke looked around until she realized that the walls were lined with album and cd racks, making a television in this room unnecessary. There was even a little section of child sized chairs in front of a karaoke machine. A tiny pink handheld cassette player complete with microphone lay on the floor, taking away Brooke's earlier assumption that this side of the basement was for adults only. This was truly a kid- friendly home.

"You've done alright P Sawyer. Alright, indeed." Brooke thought to herself as she made her way back to where she saw the tv, settling on the couch to await the family's return.

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It was almost 11 when Brooke heard the front door creak open and the murmur of sleepy voices, having unintentionally left her door ajar after she had gotten ready for bed. When she heard footsteps on the stairs several minutes later, she hurried pulled the covers over her head, and steadied her breathing.

"Brooke?" Peyton said softly, as she hit the bottom of the stairs. Upon reaching the suite she took note of the darkened room, and poked her head in to see Brooke huddled under the lightweight sheets.

As she heard Peyton make her way back up the stairs, Brooke sighed to herself. She wasn't in the mood for any more awkward chit chat. There would be time enough for that tomorrow.

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The next day, Brooke awoke bright and early to the sounds of children- pounding feet across the ceiling above, with a shout of "Mom, where're my red sneakers" being heard faintly, followed by the sound of Peyton's voice giving an indistinguishable response. Brooke rose out of bed and got ready for the day, making her way upstairs and into the kitchen, greeted by a smiling Peyton putting plates on the table, and a grouchy looking William sitting with his chin in his hands at the table.

"Good morning Scooter." Brooke said smiling.

He picked up his head up and stared grumpily at Brooke, his brown curls flopping in his face. "My name is William. Only family calls me Scooter, and you're not family."

"William Nathan Scott, that is not nice!" Peyton scolded as Brooke looked taken aback. "And Brooke _is_ family, baby."

"But Momma," William protested. "If she's family, how come we never met her before yesterday, then, huh?"

Peyton opened her mouth to respond, but she was halted by Brooke. "Its okay Peyton, I understand." She turned to William. "Good morning, William."

She was stopped by saying more by the arrival of Brody, who blew in the kitchen like a whirlwind. Apparently he had found his red converse sneakers, which he'd donned to match his blue jean shorts with red stitching, red cloth belt, and red polo shirt that sported white lions battling on the back with baby blues swirls running thoughout.

"Mornin mom!" He sang, bussing a kiss on Peyton's cheek.

He made his way to William. "Good morning, Scooter- pooter!" picking up his face and laying a smacking kiss on his check, which made William slap him away and scowl, putting his face back in his hands.

Brody laughed, turning to Brooke. "Don't mind Scooter, he's not a morning person."

Brooke shared in the laugh. "He takes after your mom on that one. She was always a grouch in the morning."

Brody looked confused. "My mom? That's funny. She's always been happy in the mornings, all smiley and stuff."

"I think I might know the answer to that one." A deep voice rumbled from the kitchen breezeway. At Lucas' words, Peyton blushed and grinned, accepting her good morning kiss from her husband. "Good morning babe." Peyton said, rubbing her nose against his lovingly.

"I make sure Momma Bear's always 'smiley and stuff' in the morning." Lucas murmured softly, gving her a knowing look.

"Mmm, you sure do." Peyton flirted back, before turning her attention to the little girl cradled in Lucas' arms. "Good morning to you too, sunshine." She said, smiling and leaning in for a kiss. Anna met her halfway and gave her an Eskimo kiss as well, but refused to let go of her father.

Turning her attention back to the stove, she called out over her shoulder. "Food's ready. Every grab a seat!"

Brooke moved to sit next to William but he turned his head and informed her tightly. "That's Daddy's seat."

"Oh, well, I'm sure he won't mind this one time." Brooke said, already having sat down and feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Actually, I kinda do." Lucas said coolly as he came up behind her.

"You can sit next to me, Brooke." Brody said, gesturing to the seat next to him.

"Thank you, Brody." Brooke said, standing and walking around the table as Lucas placed Anna in the high chair next to him. She heard the murmur of Lucas' voice saying good morning to his son as she made her way to her seat and sat down.

"You can call me Einstein. Everyone else does." Brody said as she sat down.

Overwhelmed, Brooke just nodded, looking up gratefully as Peyton made her way to the table and began to speak. "Alright guys, in honor of our guest, I made pancakes!"

Brooke groaned out loud, laughing. "As much as I love pancakes, a better gift would have been to let Lucas cook them. After all, I don't think a trip to the hospital is a good way to start off the morning.

"Actually, my wife cooks very well. But then, you'd know that if you had kept in touch." Lucas said coldly, reaching for the platter in the middle of the table.

"Yeah!" William added defiantly. "My momma can cook real good, and what you said was not nice!" William turned to Peyton. "I like your cooking, Momma."

"Thank you, Scooter." Peyton said warmly. She glared at Lucas, mouthing him a 'behave,' before turning back to the little boy. "And Brooke wasn't trying to be mean, she was just joking. When she knew me, I wasn't so good in the kitchen."

"Well, then, that was a _long_ time ago, 'cause you've been a good cook as long as I've known you!" William said, digging in.

Peyton laughed. "Thank you baby." Turning to Brooke, she offered her the pancake plate.

"Peyton, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it." Brooke stammered, feeling the tension in the room.

"I know." Peyton said, her gaze sympathetic. "A lot has changed, but you'll get used to it." And from there she dismissed it, beginning a conversation about the plans for the day, which waterfalled into what seemed to be typical mealtime conversation. Brooke sat and ate her pancakes, avoiding Lucas' gaze and keeping her attention on her plate, Peyton, or Brody, who flanked her. She didn't know why it made her sad that the pancakes were the best she'd ever had.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Brooke spent the day with Peyton at the studio; she learned that Lucas or Haley took all the kids during the day in the summer when school was out, often the two of them together, while the other parents worked. It cut down on day care expenses, and everyone felt more comfortable that their kids were being watched by 'family.' Sometime Jenny stayed with Joy, who was still on maternity leave, and often some kids went with their parents to work, but most days all of the kids hung together, doing something fun with Uncle Lucas and Aunt Haley. As parents got off, they would pick up their respective kids, and then Lucas and Haley's immediate families would meet for dinner after Peyton got off work.

"So you can cook, huh?" Brooke joked as they found themselves alone. "What else did I miss that you can do now, P Sawyer?"

"P Scott" Peyton corrected absentmindly, not noticing Brooke's wince at yet another reminder that things had changed as she thought about the question. She was so different from the emo 17 year old Brooke used to know in high school, before she became a mom, fell in love, and became part of a family bigger than she ever dreamed- how could she sum it up into words? She didn't even try.

"A lot has changed since high school." Peyton said simply.

"Yeah." Brooke agreed, contemplative. Silence filled the air as Peyton sat at the desk, taking care of some paperwork. They were in the back, the bell primed to let them know when someone entered the store. "So, do you usually work the store alone?" Brooke asked, trying to fill the silence.

"No, I'm usually not here at all! I have an office manager, but she's out of town visiting her family for the holidays. She'll be back on Monday. And I have part-time help from some of Haley's students, but it's the day after a holiday, so I gave them time off, especially since they worked for me yesterday." Peyton answered patiently.

"Haley's a teacher?" Brooke asked.

Peyton glanced up from her files. "Yes. English Lit at Tree Hill High. I can't believe you're surprised that your 'tutor-girl' is a teacher. I would think the fact that she is a rock star would be more shocking."

"Tutor-girl can sing? Wait, she's Haley J., the folk singer that had half the country going crazy for the single 'Halo', and the 'Feel This' album, especially since she had so few tour dates?" Brooke said, amazed.

"Yup. Apparently it drove Joy crazy, who was an intern at Sire records. She came all the way out here to try to convince Haley to create another Cd, but Haley refused. It wasn't until a couple of years later that Joy built enough of a name to start a record label of her own, and moved to Tree Hill, determined to get Haley to make another CD. She had an answer for all of Haley's arguments, including having the label stationed in Tree Hill so Haley wouldn't have to leave her family, and making tour dates manageable, so that when she had to go on tour, she was only gone for a couple of days at a time. Of course, it helped that we were all here to be there for Jamie and Brian when both she and Nathan had to be out of town. And it was through the label that Joy met Jake. You know the end of the story there."

"So Jake is a big-time musician too?" Brooke said, in awe of all the happenings of Tree Hill. It was starting to look like she didn't have to have left Tree Hill to be successful.

Peyton nodded. "Jake had been signed to a major label before, but he was feeling disenchanted with the business, when Haley suggested he come and join the up and coming record label that would stay true to the music. And the rest is history." Peyton said, warming up to her story. "I know you've heard of Mia Catellano."

"Of course! She's the hottest new artist out there! Well, not so new. I went to her second cd's release party a couple of years ago!" Brooke sombered as she was reminded how far she had fallen in less than a year. "Wait, Joy's label is 'Mood Music Productions'?" She shook her head in awe. "Wow!"

Brooke frowned. "So wait. Who's running things now that she's on maternity leave?"

"Haley pitches in with production, and I help handle the business side of things." At Brooke's look of shock, Peyton imitated it sarcastically. "I did produce a hit cd before, not to mention run a club booking bands and dealing with musical artists. It was also helpful to minor in business administration at UNC."

Brooke's look of shock didn't change.

"Oh, wait. You had already left by that time." It was Peyton's turn to look confused. "But no, I thought you were still checking the website after you left."

Brooke vaguely remembered seeing the pictures from TRIC, but she hadn't realized that Peyton had that much control over the enterprise. She was too wrapped up in thinking she was the only one with a talent that needed to be expressed, she didn't realize that maybe her friends had talents as well, different but no less extraordinary.

Changing the subject, Brooke asked, "So what about everyone else? I know Nathan plays pro-ball…"

"Nathan was lucky enough to play close to home for the Charlotte Bobcats, I told you Haley teaches and works for the label, Karen still runs the café and Tric, Keith owns his own auto shop…"

"I thought Dan took it from him." Brooke interrupted, jumping at the opportunity to prove she had kept in the loop.

"And he got it back after Dan went to jail for attempted murder." Peyton continued after Brooke nodded in understanding. "Jake sings, and Joy runs the label, Skills is the Head Coach at Tree Hill High, and his wife is a pediatrics nurse at Tree Hill Memorial."

"So how did Skills and his wife meet?" Brooke asked, enjoying catching up with everyone's lives.

Peyton laughed. "Actually it's a really cool story. Faith was a part of the original River Court gang until she and her mom moved to River City our freshman year, so she knew him growing up. Then she and Lucas got back in touch when he came with me to see Ellie in River City, and they kept in touch over the years until graduation, when we all moved back to Tree Hill. It turned out she had gotten a job at the hospital in Tree Hill, but she and Skills never managed to reconnect until December. Skills was watching Jamie when Haley went into labor with Brian, so he was the one to bring Jamie to the hospital. Of course, they were outside playing in the snow, so Skills looked a little rugged in the waiting room, wrapped up tighter than Jamie, like a little Eskimo cause he hates the cold, so when Faith came out and asked if he wanted to take Jamie to see his new little brother, she didnt recognize him. Apparently Skills had always had a crush on her when they were young, so he fell for her on the spot, but it took a little convincing for Faith to follow suit. Of course, it helped that he showed up a week later, a little more spruced up and offering flowers. That and Lucas' matchmaking attempts. I think we had a 'get together' every week until Faith gave in and agreed to go out with Skills."

"That's a good story." Brooke smiled, then sobered. "And Lucas? Is he still writing for the paper?" She said, trying to prove to Peyton that she had been keeping tabs on everyone. It backfired.

Peyton looked at her strangely. "You must have stopped going on the website a long time ago. Lucas stopped writing for the paper when he published his first novel, after Scooter was born. We had this huge running joke on there about him 'retiring' at 21."

"Oh, yeah." Brooke said uncomfortably. "I must've missed that thread."

Peyton stared at her for a moment before letting it go. "Anyway, Lucas works with Skills and is co-head coach of the Ravens. Since he has to leave town sometimes for his book tours and meetings with publishers, he convinced the board that having two heads instead of head and assistant was better for the team."

Brooke nodded, the talk about the Raven's team bringing back fond memories of another integral part of Raven's basketball back in high school. "What's Mouth doing with himself? I'm surprised he wasn't at the cookout."

Peyton grew quiet. "Mouth died 4 years ago." At Brooke's look of horror, she nodded softly. "He was fresh out of journalism school. He had gotten his master's and was living in Charlotte looking for his big break into investigative tv journalism. He had been covering Nathan's stories for a while in sports and was able to make the switch fairly easily into reporting, until someone accused him of nepotism, and claimed he wouldn't have been a big news star if he wasn't friends with the nation's basketball heartthrob. So to prove them wrong, he set out to uncover the identity of the head of Charlotte's most elusive drug cartel."

Peyton bowed her head. "Well, he proved his point- he was a great reporter, and he got his story. Too bad it got him killed."

By this point Brooke was unable to hold back the tears. Mouth was dead! 4 years, and she had no idea, no clue that someone so close to her once was gone. She had been so oblivious to the world, thinking that her friends were in Tree Hill living their life, just as she had been living hers.

How wrong she was.

Brushing off Peyton's attempt to console her, she excused herself and rushed to the bathroom, barely making it behind the door before she let loose the tears that had become unstoppable.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was a subdued Brooke that joined them at the table that night, having gone immediately to her room and staying there until dinner after she and Peyton had arrived home. Peyton had given her space, allowing her to grieve at the studio, and looked after her with troubled eyes as she pleaded a headache as soon as they reached the house.

Dinner was a strained affair, the headache soon becoming a reality for Brooke as the evening wore on and Lucas' dislike of having her in the house became painfully obvious.

He made no attempts to speak directly to Brooke at all at first, speaking only to his kids and his nephews at the table. Brooke knew that his over-appreciation of Haley's help in the kitchen was for her benefit. "Haley, you are such a good friend to Peyton. I know she really appreciates you being there for her."

Peyton tried to make peace, attempting to make his barbs into more friendly jokes. "Yes, I do appreciate her ability to toss a salad. I don't know what I would have done without her," she said, rolling her eyes and laughing.

Haley didn't help matters at all. While she wasn't as cold to Brooke as Lucas was, at best she was civil, and only spoke to Brooke when to not do so would be obviously rude.

The final blow came midway through dinner, after Peyton had heard from the boys about their day, and Haley had asked Peyton to come to the label studio tomorrow to tie up some loose ends.

"So Broke, I mean, Brooke," Lucas said casually, making Brooke almost drop the tomato off her fork at the fact that Lucas had actually spoken to her. "Speaking of loose ends, what exactly are your plans for employment? I know Tree Hill isn't New York, but we still have a couple of decent jobs you might be interested in."

Brooke slowly put her fork down. She cleared her throat. "Ahem. Well, I hadn't actually thought about it yet. Ummm, really, the only thing I know is clothes, so I guess I could maybe find something working retail for awhile, until I can get back in the fashion industry."

Lucas turned back to his food. "You know what? Forget I even said anything. You can just stay here and learn about all that's happened in the 10 years you were gone. After all, its going to take a lot of time to catch up on all you've missed, plus it would probably be too hard to find work, what with you being fired from the only job you ever had." He said with false sympathy.

Brooke sat silently, eyes focused on her plate as it began to swim in front of her. She blinked rapidly, refusing to let even one fall, not wanting to give Lucas the satisfaction of seeing how each barb he had thrown had scored a direct hit. When she was able to pull herself together, she lifted her head.

"It appears I'm not feeling as well as I thought." she said hoarsely, excusing herself from the table and making her way back down to her room. There she let loose the tears, and they continued to fall far into the night, long after Peyton stopped knocking on the door she wouldn't answer, long after Haley and her brood left, long after the movement stopped overhead and its occupants settled in for the night. It was a long night. And as bad as the night was, Brooke was not looking forward to the day.

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A/N: Sorry to all you Mouth lovers, but I always forget to add him. To me he has no writable personality, so I had to kill him off. At least he went out with a bang! Plus, its good for Brooke to lose someone close and not have known about it.

There was a lot in that chapter. Feel free to ask questions- if I don't cover it at a later date, Ill fill in the holes.

Lucas was a little Dannish in this chapter, but I needed him to throw barbs that would go over the kids heads. Barbs that all the adults caught. Will it cause trouble? I don't know- actually I do know, but you have to review and see on Friday!

Anonymous Annie, are you out there? I miss your reviews! When you come around let me know you're reading with a UDS- don't need anything more!

Im in the process of writing flashbacks- any scenes you want to see of Brooke or Peyton, Peytons kids, or the other supporting members of the story?


	6. Rolling out the Red Carpet

A/N: I think Im breaking some sort of record with the long chapters. What is this like the fifth on in a row over 7 pages? Don't get used to it, theres only one more left. But I have to catch you up. There're a lot of people affected by Brooke's return! Guys I am loving your reviews! I love that some of you don't like whats going on, and others love it. Keep being honest, because I appreciate all opinions, even though I write a character a certain way, I don't always agree with them either. Remember, this is my muse- I just put it on paper.

Kathiria- you are right about one thing, but not about another. You'll see in this chapter.

Saints and sailors- relationships are very fluid in this fic. You will see others on Brookes side, and you will see some people change sides. Thanks for continuing to read even though everybody's mean!

4natelaft- Brody has no plans of leaving his parents, and Brooke has no plans of taking him. Visits maybe? I don't know, I haven't written that far.

LPfan4ever- Peyton is little peacemaker right now, so you wont see her go off, yet. Too many people are being mean to Brooke for her to give in to any anger she feels. Maybe when people are nicer. But maybe not. I think Peyton has yelled at Brooke as much as she is going to for right now. Lucas, on the other hand…

Misshay16- There are gonna be at least 30 chapters, since I already have 15 written, and I haven't even begun to finish all the plotlines. It may be more though, it just depends on how well the muse keeps flowing.

Stagediva23- You are not alone, because Lucas is an ass! I wrote him that way! I love Brooke too, and _we_ know Brooke's story. Peyton knows Brooke's history. But Lucas doesn't know her well enough to understand anything she has done, so he has no sympathy. He's never met Victoria, he only knew Brooke personally for like, half a year (they were together for a month, and she left maybe 4 months after that?), so he has no idea of how grey her actions are. Peyton understands more, and Lucas will too, eventually, but not for a while. He does lighten up though, so keep reading. Other people come to Brooke's side, I just haven't gotten to them yet. This week is a long one.

Firestarterchik- I don't hate Mouth, I just don't like him. I don't even like watching his storylines on tv, much less writing about him. In all my previous fics I have to go back and add "and mouth' because he has no personality that I can draw from to give him his own lines. Scooter is feisty Peyton, fiercely loyal, smart-mouthed, bull-headed, and not a morning person. Brooke caught him in the morning when he is not nice to anyone (see him and Brody?), but also he has caught on that his Daddy doesn't like Brooke, so he doesn't like Brooke either. That's it- Scooter is Peyton before she mellowed out, with little boy energy.

Mcgirl- You got William spot on! I like that Peyton can cook too, mostly because it means that she's changed from the girl Brooke used to know, but also because I see in my head good times with Karen learning how, since they lived together (I don't know if they will translate to a scene or not in the fic)

Kelsey! Agreed. Loving chapter 7, cant wait for chapter 8! Im a poet and didn't know it! I understand exactly what you mean about Brooke, and I agree. Im glad you feel sympathy for her- I want you too! Just because she was wrong for leaving doesn't mean she was wrong to come back, or that some really crappy things have happened to her.

Marybeth- already written! Keep an eye out for chapter 13.

Bkworm52- Once they graduated, more people found out. They didn't make an announcement or anything, but it is well known that Peyton is Brody's stepmom, though noone beyond the group of people at the cookout know Brooke is his birth mom. They have kept that under wraps because it is not their story to tell (Brooke hid it, so she should be the one to reveal it), and because they don't want the negative ramifications of people knowing that Brody is a famous person's son. It helps that Scooter has brown hair- no one questions his maternity, so it doesn't come up outside of family. Yet…

Oh, and Larry is still alive. He comes back to town and stays for a bit around chapter 20 or so, maybe longer after that.

Skittlebox- Ha! I didn't think about Lucas sleeping on the couch, but that's only because there is a flashback to that. They have a pact that no one gets kicked out the bed, so Lucas got to sleep in his own bed, though he didn't get much else if you know what I mean. Hehehehe PM if you want to know about Anna, but you do get the whole story by chapter 15 or so.

Anon- Yay, psychology! I ff past Mouth too, even when he's with a core 5 person. Tink's story around chapter 15. Cant make it sooner than that, but you get to learn about Tink with Brooke until then. You get to find out about Haley's cold front in this chapter. It may have been like you thought had Haley not been friends with Peyton and Lucas! Let me know if her reaction is still unexpected at the end. BTW I love long reviews!

Bjames- I didn't even think about Joy and Bethany! Sometimes it works out like that, I guess! As to your characters faithful reader- No chase, owen or Rachel (though Rachel's story line s5 will be used for someone else). Yes to Julian, Lindsay, and Sam (though her story line is different). And two friends, two enemies is premature…you haven't seen everyone's reaction yet!

Lwrnld- Brooke had the personality of season 1 and the friendships of season 1 too, but just like interactions with Haley and Lucas changed her during the show, so will others now.

M's- another great long review. Scooter is his mom all the way! You are going to love the next chapter if you love the Scott kids (chapter 7). :)

LPS1805- thank you for the compliment! And your flashbacks are written,- they are just not til much later!

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Chapter 5 Rolling out the red carpet

Friday, July 6th, 2016

Brooke was right. The next day wasn't better. It began on a sour note, with Peyton and Lucas obviously in poor moods: not arguing, but not happy with each other either. William was his typically grouchy self until he finished his breakfast, so that wasn't so unusual, but today even Brody was subdued, gazing around the table at the solemn family as he ate his waffles. It was Brody's quietness that affected Brooke the most, especially as Lucas stood up and called for William to get ready to go.

"Aren't you going with them?" Brooke asked Brody casually.

Brody avoided her gaze. "It's Scooter's special day. Dad just takes him out and no one else."

'You can come with us, Einstein. We're going to the label today." Peyton said softly.

"Nah, that's okay. I'm going to hang out with KJ at the shop." He looked down at his now empty bowl. "May I be excused?" He asked quietly.

"Sure, baby." Peyton said, gazing worriedly at his downcast face. "Go head and get ready. I'll drop you off over Grandma Karen's."

Her day went from bad to worse when Peyton attempted to hand Anna to her while she went back into the house to get something she had left behind, and the little girl kicked up such a fuss, straining and fighting in Brooke's arms, that Peyton relented and just took her into the house with her. The little girl's glare over her mother's shoulder would have been funny had Brooke not had so many instances of dislike already.

With all the negative feelings floating around the atmosphere, was it any wonder that she began to think that her greatest fear was reality?

Lucas, having a special day with William.

Brody being upset, his clothing choice of a plain black t-shirt, jeans, and timberland boots reflecting his mood.

Peyton bending over backwards to bring him out of his funk.

Of course she worried that her son was being given the stepchild treatment now that Lucas had a son with the love of his life, that had her curly hair, her eyes, and her personality, well, not the angsty, broody, part, but still. And so how wasn't it the right thing to do to bring it to Peyton's attention at the studio, when it was just the adults and Anna, especially since Haley brought it up first?

"What's wrong with Einstein?" Haley asked as she swept into the studio office, bussing a kiss on Anna's forehead as she played quietly in the playard set up for the babies. "I just dropped off Jamie and Bri at Keith's and he was in a bit of a mood."

"Wouldn't you be if your dad played favorites and took your younger brother out for the day without you?" Brooke said harshly from the sofa where she sat, as Peyton had been fielding calls all morning and hadn't had a chance to talk. Brooke had been stewing about it all morning, and she was no longer able to wait to let her feelings be known.

"What exactly are you saying?" Haley said, her back going up at the insinuation that her best friend was doing something wrong.

"I'm saying, I know Lucas hates me, but what I don't understand is how you guys can sit around and watch him take out his feelings for me on a little boy." Brooke said angrily, standing up. "I can't believe I trusted you guys to take care of him!"

Peyton slowly hung up the phone, noticing the raised voices. "What's going on here?" She joked. "I'm on the phone for 5 minutes and all of a sudden world war three breaks out? Tink, maybe they forgot that we don't fight in front of children. What do you think?"

Anna looked up at Peyton, wide-eyed at all the yelling, but soothed by Peyton's singsong voice and gentle smile. She went back to playing with her toys, the reassurance from her mother enough to calm any uncertainty about the situation.

"Sorry Peyton, I didn't mean to…" Brooke said awkwardly. No one she knew worried about the presence of children when fighting; she didn't even think twice.

"No harm, no foul, and now you know. And on that note…" She walked over, hands on her hips. "You guys want to tell me what the fight is about?" She said, herding them out of the office and into the recording studio, away from Anna.

"Brooke here," Haley spat quietly, still seething, "has the audacity to come back after being _gone_ for ten years, and accuse us of not taking proper care of _your_ son."

"No! That's not what I meant!" Brooke protested. "_You_ guys are doing fine. I just didn't expect Lucas to play favorites with his sons after going through what he did as a kid. And I kind of expected you two to make sure that didn't happen."

"Wait, I'm confused." Peyton said, puzzled. "When exactly did Lucas play favorites?"

"What's today?" Brooke said pointedly. You couldn't tell how upset Brody was that Lucas and William got a day together and he was left out? You _had_ to know! You offered to let him come to the music studio, as if spending more time with you would make up for what his father wasn't doing with him!"

"That's what this is about?" Peyton said, looking to Haley.

"Yes." Haley said. "This is about your '_friend'_, thinking that she can come in and win some kind of mother of the year award by caring that her almost 10 year old biological child had a bad morning, when if she knew anything, would know that it could be for any reason under the sun since he is a pre-adolescent boy who pouts if his hair doesn't spike right!"

"But let's address the 'caring mother's' concern." Haley continued. "Because if she had been in contact at _any_ time since Scooter was born, she would have known that Lucas made a promise to his boys that he would never treat them unfairly, and makes it a point to spend alone time with _each_ of them on an alternating basis. And if she had not _just_ arrived 2 days ago she would have been here on a day when it was Einstein's turn to have a day alone with his dad, and Scooter stayed home. But no, _I'm_ a bad aunt because I don't know why he's upset this morning in spite of getting to spend the day tinkering with cars and hanging out with his grandfather and favorite cousins. But I can tell you this, I do know for sure what is _not_ the reason!" Haley finished, the longest tangent in history spoken in a forceful whisper.

"I…I'm sorry. I...didnt know." Brooke looked pleadingly at Peyton. "It…he…it wasn't like him to be so quiet, that's all."

"I know," Peyton said, understanding. "And I appreciate that you care about him enough to address it with us, even though it was misplaced." Peyton sighed and sat down on the couch. "Brody was upset this morning, probably because he overheard Lucas and I arguing last night about how he's been treating you."

"Brody was upset, because of me? " Brooke said, still reeling from the revelations Haley provided. She was causing tension in what seemed to be a happy marriage before she came, the one who had dulled the light in Brody's eyes. She shook her head, moving to the doorway. "Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I shouldn't have come back." She brushed by Haley, who looked at her unsympathetically, not even stopping when she heard Peyton cry, "Brooke, wait," behind her.

And as she sat in the bathroom stall once again crying, she couldn't help but think ruefully to herself- all the time she was spending in bathrooms, she might just have to apply for a janitorial position. She was becoming quite comfortable around toilets.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Later that evening, Nathan let himself into his house through the kitchen, as was his habit on Friday nights on his weekends off from practice in the off-season.

"Whoa! What happened here?" Nathan said, placing his bag down by the back door, staring in awe at the empty holes where kitchen drawers used to be, every available surface covered with the missing drawers. Jamie walked by with a newly organized cabinet drawer, complete with tiny labels and spacers for the different utensils.

"Hey Dad." Jamie, said, shrugging at his question. "Mom's cleaning."

"Hi Daddy!" Brian piped up, swinging his legs on the bar stool, holding several spoons and spatulas in his hands. "Mama's protesting!"

"Processing baby." Haley huffed behind the counter. "Processing." Haley stood, leaning forward with her hands resting on the countertop. "Though protesting's a good word too." She greeted her husband as he rounded the island, resting against his chest and hugging him tightly after he pulled her into his arms and placed a quick kiss to her lips before tucking her head onto his shoulder.

"Sweet! Daddy's home. He'll take care of everything! Now, let's split before she asks us to move furniture or something." Jamie whispered to Brian. Tossing down the kitchenware, Brian scrambled off the stool and hurried after his brother, up the stairs and into his room.

Haley shook her head against Nathan's heaving chest as he chuckled, having heard the boy's whisper since they were standing right next to them. "Don't worry. I'm here. I'll take care of everything!" Nathan murmured into her hair, smiling into her eyes as she raised her head at his teasing.

"It's not funny!" Haley said. "My boys think I'm crazy! I didn't even ask them to do anything! They saw me straightening up the drawers and insisted on helping!"

"Meaning you weren't really free to 'protest'?" Nathan said, grinning. At her look of consternation, Nathan held up a finger. Tiptoeing over to the hallway, he poked his head around to the foot of the stairs and listened, faintly hearing the sounds of the boys in Brian's room.

Walking back over to the island, he pulled up a bar stool and sat down. "Well, the boys are ensconced in their room, and after the time they had, they probably won't come out again until we bribe them with food. You are now free to process away."

Haley began to pace. ""I am so pissed off.""

"Seriously. I think I can see that. What's going on Haley James?"

"I'll tell you what's going on! Peyton asked me to be 'nice' to Brooke, to help 'welcome' her back to Tree Hill, because she's 'had a really rough time and could use our understanding and support' right now." Haley said, beginning to pace, and using air quotes on lines Nathan guessed where said by Peyton.

"Okkkaayyyy?" Nathan said slowly, "and that's caused a massive cleaning jag because…"

"Because! Peyton told me this after I blew up at Brooke because she had the nerve to ask if Lucas treated Einstein and Scooter the same! As if Lucas was Dan, and would treat Scooter better just because he's 'Peyton's son.'" Nathan smiled at the air quotes Haley threw in the air, slapping a serious look on his face when she turned around.

"Well, considering the history of our family, that's a valid question. Was Peyton upset?" Nathan asked.

"No, but she should've been. Because that also implies that _if_ Lucas was treating Einstein differently, Peyton would allow it!"

"So if Peyton isn't mad, then why are you?" Nathan asked slowly.

"Because! Brooke's been back two days after being gone Einstein's entire life, and already she's insinuating that maybe we haven't been taking good enough care of her precious baby boy. Not to mention the fact that she's been in town not even a full week yet, and we are supposed automatically be excited that she's finally shown her face back in Tree Hill."

Haley slammed a strainer onto the counter. "She yells at me, all indignant that Brody's upset, when we haven't seen or heard from this woman in almost ten years. Not a phone call."

She stabbed the spatula into its bucket. "Not an email."

There went a giant spoon. "Not even a card saying 'Happy birthday' in the past 5 years, and yet, out of the blue she can show up and question our parenting skills, but we are supposed to be 'nice' and 'understanding'."

A potato masher made its way in with the rest of the items, and Haley pushed the bucket away.

"I'm supposed to be nice to the woman who wasn't there when her best friend gave birth for the first time, and cried because her 'best friend' wasn't there for the most important moment of her life. The woman who promised sophomore year to make Peyton's wedding gown when she got married but never did, because it was no longer cool to check up via the website and send presents like she was some secret agent or fairy godmother or something. Oh, and how about when I had to listen to Peyton reminisce about a woman who wasn't there when she had Anna, because they used to talk about how Brooke would spoil her goddaughter rotten! But wait! Brooke wasn't there, I was!" Haley said, pointing to her chest.

"I was there when she couldn't understand why Brooke wasn't contacting her now that they were older and there was no reason for Brooke to be in hiding anymore. I was there when Peyton was so scared that when Brooke became famous, she would come back and take Brody away because she was settled. I saw every moment of sadness Peyton would feel and try to hide because she was going through life's important moments without her best friend by her side."

Haley waved away Nathan's attempt at a protest. "I know, I know, she had me. And I know Peyton loves me, and considers me to be her best friend now. But Brooke was like a sister to her, and that was a place I couldn't and wouldn't try to fill, because Brooke should have been there herself! So _excuse_ me if I don't roll out the red carpet and break out the champagne and confetti."

"Maybe not the champagne, but you will make an effort to be nicer to Brooke." Nathan finally said as Haley wound down.

""Why do you say that?"" Haley said, frowning.

""Because our kitchen drawers are really organized right now."" Haley looked around sheepishly. ""And because that's who you are, Haley James.""

Nathan stood, and put his hands on Haley's shoulders. "And I know that even though you don't agree with what Peyton's doing, and you would like to kick Brooke's butt back to New York or LA or wherever she flew in from," he kissed her forehead, ""you're thinking about taking the high road on this one."" Nathan squeezed her shoulders. "Erasing the past? Giving her a chance to prove herself?"

Haley pulled out of Nathan's arms. "Ha! That's where you're wrong! I don't have to take the high road when Lucas isn't, and he's living with her! Compared to him, I'm the freakin' welcome wagon, 'cause Lucas is an iceberg around Brooke! So until he makes an effort, I don't have to either." Haley stuck out her tongue at Nathan, reminding him of Brian at that moment and causing him to chuckle.

"I'm gonna let you keep thinking that, Haley James, cause right now you're moving to the knives and I want to live. But we both know that after this kitchen is spic and span, you are gonna be the friend you've always been to Peyton, and right now, that means playing nice with Brooke."

Nathan blew her a kiss, and headed to the doorway.

"It's Haley James Scott, and where are _you_ going?" Haley said petulantly, crossing her arms.

"To try to melt an iceberg, so my baby doesn't have to play nice alone."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A quick phone call and Lucas was at the River Court when Nathan pulled up, shooting three- pointers and making them like they were uncontested lay-ups.

"You sure you don't want me to get you a spot on the team?" Nathan joked.

"Yeah go ahead and make it happen, just so after Mom, Peyton, and Haley kill me for playing with my heart condition, they can take you out too." Lucas answered, smiling, before he let another one fly.

"So good to see you and all, but what's up? I mean, not that I ever need a reason to shoot hoops with my brother, but it's almost dinner time. Although, I didn't mind the phone call. Peyton's ordering Chinese takeout, and its Einstein's favorite, which means it's Brooke's favorite, and if I have to hear another 'Oh I didn't realize we had so much in common…," Lucas let the sentence trail off as he angrily grabbed the ball and drove it to the hoop.

"Good to see Brooke isn't a 'girlfriend' problem," Nathan teased, remembering how Skills used to joke Lucas about shooting three's when he had a problem with a girl, and driving lay-ups when it was a family problem.

"Yeah, well, Peyton's driving me nuts too. Bending over backwards to welcome the 'prodigal' home like she was gone for months instead of years. Expecting me to just welcome her back with open arms, like I'm glad she finally came home."

"Aren't you?" Nathan asked, quietly.

"You mean, like you and Skills and Jake?" Lucas said nastily.

"And Peyton and Karen." Nathan reminded Lucas, not taking the bait.

"Karen's a mom. That's what mom's do. And Peyton has always had a blind spot for Brooke, so she doesn't count. But you guys, I didn't expect you to fall into her good graces so easily."

"And why not?" Nathan said, frustrated. "She was a friend for a long time before she left, Luke. Me and her go back almost as far as her and Peyton. So yeah, it sucks she was gone for so long. Its messed up that she pulled a Dan. But she took care of Brody the best way she knew how, which is more than Dan did, by the way, and now she's back, so yeah, I'm glad to see my friend return."

Lucas held the ball in his hands, clenching it tightly. "What if it was me, Nathan? What if I had left Tree Hill, and didn't speak to Haley for ten years, and wasn't there for her when she had Jamie, or Brian? Hell, how about something simple? You yelled at me when I forgot to call Haley for a couple of days when I was on tour. Would you be so quick to agree with Haley to welcome me back without so much as a 'What took you so long?', if I didn't call for ten years?"

"Of course not!" Nathan said, stealing the ball from Lucas and slamming it home at just the thought of Haley being upset. "I'd kick your ass!"

"Why?" Lucas challenged. "I'm not just her friend, I'm also your brother!"

"So? By leaving, you would have hurt Haley, and everyday you were gone would have hurt her all over again. And I don't care who you are, nobody hurts my wife and gets a free pass!"

"So why can't you understand why I can't just accept Brooke being back in our lives? If I left Haley, it would just hurt her, as bad as that sounds. The woman left my son on a doorstep! Lied to me about being pregnant! And that's just the stuff she did to me! I'm not even talking about everything she put Peyton through! Or what about Einstein, who until now has been fine with the fact that his biological mother gave him up as a baby; his mood's already been affected now that she's back!"

"Ok Luke, that's true." Nathan conceded. "But by not at least trying with Brooke, _you_ are the one hurting Peyton now. _You_ are the one making Brody confused about how he should feel about having his birth mom in his life." Lucas just crossed his arms, glaring at Nathan.

"Dammit Lucas!" Nathan slammed the ball in his hands. "You don't have to be the woman's best friend. You just have to be civil to her!"

Lucas grabbed the ball back from Nathan. "Okay then, so let me ask you this. If I came back, what's the first thing you would do, Nathan?"

"Welcome you home in front of Haley, and then take a walk with you and kick your ass where Haley couldn't see. I wouldn't hit you in the face, cause then Haley would ask questions. But your ribs would sure be messed up." Nathan said, grinning evilly at the thought.

"Exactly. I can't beat Brooke to a pulp and feel better; she's a woman, and the rules are different. And I can't just smile in this woman's face without releasing some of this… this…"

"Anger? Hurt? Upset?" Nathan said, getting the picture. "After all, she was your friend too. Are you maybe trying to avoid the fact that you're mad at her for not being there for you as well?"

"No! Yes… Maybe…. I don't know, Im just mad and angry…and I'm scared." Lucas confessed. "I'm scared she's going to disappear again and I'm going to have to pick up the pieces, only this time it wont just be my wife, it'll be my son's heart that'll be all over the place." Lucas went to sit down on the bleachers. "I can't save them from this; I can't even threaten Brooke with a quick beat down like I could if it were you who did this to Haley. My hands are tied, and I'm expected to be nice to the woman who's got the rope."

"It's tough man. I agree." Nathan acquiesced, standing in front of him. "The only thing you can do is be there for Peyton, and Brody. And you can't do that if you're in the doghouse for not being cordial to your wife's best friend. So suck it up, put Brooke's face on a punching bag at the gym and get everything out, and then go home and make your wife's night by promising to be nicer to your houseguest. After all, you being mean is not going to encourage Brooke to stick around, if she is telling the truth about staying. And then who's your wife gonna blame for her leaving?"

"Yeah." Lucas sat for a moment, then nodded.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Thanks man," Lucas said, standing up and pulling Nathan into a half handshake, half-hug.

"No problem! After all, thanks to you, I have the most organized kitchen in 3 counties." Nathan joked, as they walked to their respective cars, off to join their families for dinner.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: A little Lathan brotherhood, some Naley for you Naley lovers. Some BPH for the people like me who love the trio. Too bad it wasn't all love.

Recognize the scene from season 6? Throw in the kids, and there you go! I wish Mark had called me- we could've worked Jamie into the scene for some more comic relief.


	7. Bedtime at the Scotts

A/N: A lot of you are starting to get annoyed with how passive and understanding Peyton is being with Brooke back. That's okay, as long as you keep reading. But honestly, when in the show has Peyton truly given Brooke a dressing down when she deserved it? When has Peyton not allowed Brooke to walk all over her? I always felt that Peyton bent over backwards for Brooke's friendship- so worried about losing it all the time that she sacrificed things she wanted because of what she thought Brooke wanted( at least until season 4 when the sex tape came out).

As for the accusation Brooke had, Peyton's not upset about it for 2 reasons.

1. She (well, Lucas) had the very same fear about having boys by different mothers that Brooke raised, so it wasn't insulting to her, because it was a valid concern that Brooke didn't know they had already addressed.

2. In a way, Peyton was happy that Brooke showed some concern about Brody, even though it was misplaced. It shows Peyton that somewhere in Brooke is a caring person, and that caring person is concerned about Brody. There is no need for Peyton to be mad about an accusation that isn't true by a person who doesn't know the family, which is what Brooke essentially is.

Also when I write Peyton, her reactions to Brooke are based on my reactions when similar situations have happened to me. I have had a family member disappear for years and then come back; I have 3 godchildren, so I have been accused of favoritism by outsiders, so while u might not like Peyton not blowing up about these things, understand that it is a plausible reaction from a 27 year old adult whose life is too good to let anger get the best of her.

Responses to specific questions next chapter. I have a headache, and this AN was prewritten, so its all I can do to post right now.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 6: Bedtime at the Scott's

Friday, July 6th, 7:45 pm

"Einstein, telephone!" Peyton said, calling down the stairs. Brody, who was battling William at Wii Sports bowl, excused himself and picked up the playroom phone. "Hello?"

"Einstein, this is Leo."

"Hey Leo, what's the business?"

"I've got to talk to you about something. Can Rocket take us to the Rivercourt tomorrow morning?"

Brody glanced back at William as he danced around the room in excitement from bowling a strike, doing his best to ignore Brooke, who was watching from the couch. "I think so. It'll be good to get away from the house for a while. Not that I'm complaining, but what's so important it can't wait 'til I come over tomorrow night?"

"Well, it's about your Aunt Brooke."

"I probably should have guessed you were gonna say that." Brody sighed. "Alright, let me go ask Rocket. Hold on."

"Ask me what?" Lucas said, having made his way down the stairs, with Anna in his arms, freshly clad in a babydoll nightgown, leaning against his chest sleepily.

Brooke watched it all, doing her best not to be caught staring, but it was all so strange. This was what she imagined families to be like, what she and Peyton talked about but never personally experienced, what existed before to her only in movies and magazine ads.

"Hey Rocket," Brody said, a quick grin crossing his face at the inside joke. "Can you pick up Leo tomorrow morning after breakfast and take us to the Rivercourt?"

"Sure, Einstein." Lucas said, ruffling Brody's hair.

"Ha ha, Im 'bout to take a shower, it doesn't bother me." Brody said, making a face at Anna, who giggled at her father's antics.

"Of course it does." Lucas said waiting. Sure enough, not even a minute passed before Brody ran his fingers through his hair, smoothing it back into place.

"No fair! Exploiting weakness is not cool, Dad!"

"No, it's not," Lucas agreed, "but it is fun." Lucas said, chuckling. Turning to more serious matters, he changed the subject. "Do I need to pick up Quincy and the girls too?"

"I don't know. Let me ask." Brody picked the phone back up. "Hey Leo."

"Yo!"

"You've been hangin' with Uncles Skills too much, dawg." Brody laughed, causing Jamie to chuckle.

"Whatever, you said, 'What's the business,' first."

"Ok, ok, truce. Rocket said does he need to pick up Quincy and the girls too?" Brody asked

"Good question. Its up to you. This is your adventure." Jamie said after a moment.

"Well, you called for Einstein, so I guess we should gather the crew. Can you call? Tink is ready for bed, so I gotta go." Brody said, glancing back at Anna, who had laid her head on Lucas' shoulder.

"Oh, yeah, okay, sure. Kiss Tink for me."

"Whatever, get your own sister."

"Why, when yours likes me better?"

Lucas cleared his throat behind him. "Truce again. I gotta go. See you tomorrow." Brody said, and after hearing the same, hung up the phone.

Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"Okay Rocket, it's the entire crew. Leo's calling the troops for me since it's Tink's bedtime." Brody said, answering the unspoken question.

At the word bedtime, Anna began to smile, bouncing in Lucas' arms and clapping her hands.

"Is Leo another one of your friends?" Brooke asked, coming over hesitantly, avoiding Lucas' gaze and directing her question to Brody. At his glance, she hurried to explain. "I couldn't help but overhear; I didn't mean to intrude."

"Don't worry about it," Brody said dismissively. "Leo is Jamie." At Brooke's look of confusion, Brody tried to explain. "Okay its like this. When we were little, maybe a little younger than Scooter, me and Jamie loved to watch the Little Einsteins, which is a tv show for kids, and one day we decided to be them. Since I was already Einstein, Jamie became Leo, the leader. Andre is Quincy, Lily is June, and Jenny is Annie." Brody began to chuckle. "And since Dad would drive us around on all our 'adventures,' he became 'Rocket' the spaceship."

"So when the crew wants to get together, he calls me Rocket." Lucas interjected, causing Brooke eyes to fly up and meet his, stunned he was actually speaking civilly to her.

It was the first piece of information he volunteered since she had been there. Apparently the freeze out was over.

Brooke offered him a tentative smile. "I see. I guess I'll have to watch one of the episodes to understand some more. This sounds like a cool show."

"Yeah," Brody agreed. "its pretty cool. I still watch it with Tink and Scooter, though Im a little old for it. But it still teaches me new things, so maybe Im not too old yet."

"Don't worry. _I_ learn something watching that show." Lucas said. Turning to Brody, he nodded his head towards the door. "Alright. Scooter, turn off the game, and you two head up and meet me in Tink's room."

As Brody and William thundered up the stairs, Brooke began to speak. "Luke…"

Lucas held up a hand. "Truce, Brooke. Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. After all, I even gave Dan a second chance to be a dad after 17 years, and you've done no worse than him. So while you're here, I'll do my best to get along with you. Because even though we don't like each other, we both love Peyton, right?"

Brooke smiled tremulously. "Right."

"Right." Lucas said, letting out a deep breath. He began to walk towards the stairs, then turned back around. "We have a family ritual where we all say goodnight to Tink. Would you like to join us?"

Brooke allowed her smile to spread across her face. "I'd love to."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The room was dark, the only light coming from the Tinkerbell nightlights strategically placed around the room. Peyton was sitting in a large rocker, Brody and William talking quietly to her, leaning on either side of the chair. At the sound of the Lucas entering the room, Peyton stood, her gaze immediately landing on Brooke, who had come up behind him. Peyton smiled widely, before walking over to Lucas and planting a kiss on his lips in thanks. She knew what a concession it was for him to allow Brooke to enter into what was their special time with their children. Turning her attention to Anna, she gently lifted the sleepy child into her arms and cuddled her close.

"Goodnight baby girl." Peyton placed a kiss on Anna's forehead, smiling as Anna wrapped her tiny arms tightly around her neck.

"Mama lo'," Anna said sleepily and Peyton nodded against her blond hair. "That's right, my love, Momma loves you, and I'll see you in the morning."

Peyton squeezed her gently once more before handing her to William, who had taken her place in the rocking chair. Anna patted William's chest as he hugged her to him, his torso almost dwarfed by her tiny frame. Lucas joined Brody on the other side of the chair, as Peyton moved to stand beside Brooke.

Brooke could only stare as William began to sing softly.

_"You and I must make a pact,_

_we must bring salvation back,  
where there is love, I'll be there."_

Brody reached out and gently gathered Anna in his arms, rocking her as he began to pace and sing.

_"I'll reach out my hand to you,_

_I'll have faith in all you do,  
Just call my name and I'll be there."_

He passed Anna to Lucas, who took his place pacing and singing, Anna staring up at him, just as she had done with William, then Brody.

_"I'll be there to comfort you,  
Build my world of dreams around you,_

_I'm so glad that I found you  
I'll be there with a love that's strong  
I'll be your strength,_

_I'll keep holding on."_

Lucas passed Anna back to William, who kissed her forehead and began rocking again as Anna snuggled up against him and closed her eyes. William began to sing more quietly.

_"Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter  
togetherness, well that's all I'm after  
whenever you need me, I'll be there."_

Brody took her out of William's arms for the last time, his voice almost a whisper as he placed his kiss on the little girl's forehead.

_"I'll be there to protect you,_

_with an unselfish love that respects you,  
just call my name and I'll be there."_

Lucas took Anna out of Brody's arms and held her close, kissing her forehead as he sang softly.

_"I'll be there to comfort you,  
Build my world of dreams around you,_

_I'm so glad that I found you  
I'll be there with a love that's strong  
I'll be your strength,_

_I'll keep holding on,_

_If you should ever find someone new, I know he'd better be good to you  
'Cause if he doesn't, I'll be there  
Don't you know, baby, yeah yeah."_

A drowsy Anna was placed in her crib as the three Scott men hovered over her, softly singing the rest of the chorus.

_I'll be there,_

_I'll be there,_

_just call my name,_

_I'll be there."_

_"I'll be there,_

_I'll be there,_

_whenever you need me,_

_I'll be there."_

Brooke started as she felt Peyton gently touch her arm, motioning her to leave the room quietly. Quickly, she wiped her eyes as she followed Peyton out into the hall.

"That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Brooke said quietly.

"Yeah, even if none of them can carry a tune." Peyton said, eyes softening as she thought of her men.

"It doesn't matter." Brooke said, shaking her head.

"No, it doesn't." Peyton said, understanding and agreeing with what Brooke was trying to say. They were joined by the three boys, who had tiptoed out of the room and joined them in the hall.

"Alright Scooter, time for your bath," Lucas said affectionately as he ruffled the little boy's curls before leading him across the hall and into his room.

"So, Einstein. What's on tap for tonight?" Peyton said to Brody, hands on her hips.

"I don't know." Brody put his finger to his lips and thought for a moment. "Is Brooke joining us?"

"If you want her to." Peyton said patiently.

"I don't mind." Brody said, not wanting to be rude, before turning to Brooke. "Are you joining us?"

"I don't know what you guys are doing."

"It depends on if you are joining us." Brody said, with a 'duh' look on his face.

"Ok, seeing as how this could go on all night, let me step in here. Brody, you pick something as if Brooke wasn't here. Brooke can watch and rotate in if she wants. And that's how we do that."

"Ok. Then 'I Declare War,' kemo sabe!" Brody said, pumping his fist in the air.

"Are you sure you want to do that? I am undefeated, o spiky one." Peyton said, grinning.

"As am I, o curly one!" Brody returned, giggling.

"Very well, let us begin." Brooke looked on as they bowed to each other, before Brody raced down the stairs. Peyton began to follow him at a more sedate pace, tossing over her shoulder at Brooke, "Don't look so confused. It'll all become clear eventually."

But as she watched them play, Brody having pulled out the cards and dealt the hands by the time they got downstairs, Brooke was more confused than ever.

"Not to be slow or anything, but this seems like a game of luck." She said slowly, after about 5 minutes of watching them go back and forth.

"Pretty much, yea." Peyton murmured, focused as she counted out her cards. "I. De. Clare. War." She crowed triumphantly as she turned over a Queen. "Beat that, buster!"

"Its basically the best game ever! You can play with lots of people, and it can go on forever, 'cause nobody ever wins. I. De. Clare. War." Brody explained.

"Except for mini- victories." Peyton said as Brody got up and did a quick shuffle, having turned over an Ace. "This isn't over child o' mine." She said to Brody as he sat back down and collected his winnings.

And sure enough, not even a minute later, it was Peyton who was racking in the winnings of the mini-war. Brody turned to Brooke. "You ready to join?"

Hesitantly, she agreed, and they dealt her in, explaining how to flip over the card, and how the highest card won, and if you tied for the highest card, you had to do I De-clare war until there was a higher card, and that the object of the game was to get all the cards.

They had been playing for about 15 minutes before Brooke really began to see how the game was never ending, as Peyton would seem to be winning, when a series of hands would bring her or Brody to the winner's circle.

At about 8:30 Peyton called a halt to the game, shooing Brody off to the shower. She began gathering up the cards, putting them back into the box.

"I think its great that you give Brody his own time to be with you." Brooke said quietly, not wanting to start another fight, but unable to stop herself from commenting.

Peyton paused at the sound of her voice, then continued to put the cards away. "Yea, well, Luke and I never had siblings growing up, so we got all of our parent's attention. When they were there at least." Peyton added. "And Brody had us for almost 4 years by himself, well, almost by himself," Peyton said, thinking of Jamie, "and he got all of our attention. So when Scooter came along, we wanted to make sure we still gave him special time that was just his."

"I'm sorry about earlier." Brooke blurted out, interrupting Peyton's explanation.

"I know." Peyton nodded. "It's a concern we had too, so why should I be mad that you thought the same? Though you probably should stop jumping to conclusions." Peyton added seriously. "We're not in high school, and you're not in New York anymore. Around here, we give family the benefit of the doubt." She looked pointedly at Brooke.

"I know, and I'm sorry. It's just…"

"The idea of parents who love their kids is such a foreign concept?" Peyton finished. "Lucas had pretty bad experiences with Dan, so he knew that having kids wasn't an automatic pass to loving them the way a parent should. And because of it, we've been extra careful that all our children feel loved."

Peyton laughed at a thought. "I mean, forget Einstein and Scooter, the real challenge came when Tink came along. The first girl in 7 years with all these Scott males? Talk about spoil potential! But it hasn't been a problem at all."

She shrugged. "It works because we make it work. I guess we put so much effort into making sure the kids have a better childhood than ours, and feel our love like some of us never got from our parents; now its just commonplace. Even if we do treat one child differently at times, it's for legitimate reasons, and they are secure enough in our love to never feel the sting of some imagined slight."

At Brooke's look of confusion, Peyton patted her on the shoulder. "Stop trying to figure it all out right now. You just got here. Trust me, you'll see."

They were interrupted by Lucas calling for Peyton. She looked at Brooke. "Had enough, or do you want to see more?" Peyton went up the stairs, and after a short hesitation, Brooke followed.

William was on the bottom bunk of one of his beds, his room much more organized than when Brooke had seen it before during her snooping adventure. She took a seat on the other bunkbed, and watched quietly.

"Daddy made me clean before we read, Mommy." William said grumpily. Peyton smoothed his curls back from his forehead and commiserated warmly.

"I know baby. He makes me clean before we do things too. Did you have a good day today?" Peyton said.

"Uh-huh. Me and Daddy went for a ride, and he let me drive! And we got ice cream, and played at the park- it was fun Momma!"

"I bet it was, Scoot." Peyton said, smiling down at him as he relayed his story excitedly.

"And I took a nap today, so I can stay up a little later. I'm not tired, I promise." He said, nodding his head so hard his curls flopped back into his face. His activity sparked a yawn, contradicting everything he just said.

"I know you aren't tired. That's why Momma loves you. You're my little energizer bunny. You keep going and going…" she said, tickling him and making him giggle.

"But you had a big day today, so how can we prove that you're not tired?" she said thoughtfully.

William thought about it. "We could try the song again!"

Peyton stared at him, pretending to think it over. "You drive a hard bargain, but I think we can make a deal, just like always. If you can stay awake til the end of the song, you can have 15 more minutes before bedtime. Deal?" Peyton said, holding out her hand.

William shook her hand sleepily. "Deal."

"Okay, now get ready." William snuggled eagerly down into the covers. "Eye wide?" William widened his eyes as much as they would go, making Brooke cover up a smile. "Okay, here we go." Peyton began to sing.

_"Stay awake, don't rest your head  
Don't lie down upon your bed  
While the moon drifts in the skies  
Stay awake, don't close your eyes_

_Though the world is fast asleep  
Though your pillow's soft and deep  
You're not sleepy as you seem  
Stay awake, don't nod and dream  
Stay awake, don't nod and dream."_

Brooke watched as William's eyes drooped after the first stanza, the trouble to keep his eyes so far open too much for him. As Peyton sang the song through a second time, William's eyes stayed closed, and his breath evened out as he gave into slumber.

Peyton gently kissed his forehead, whispering "I love you, baby boy," before smoothing out the covers and standing up, walking out of the room and into Brody's. "2 down, one to go!" Peyton joked.

Brody looked up from where he and Lucas were playing battleship. "Scooter falls for that every night! I wonder when he'll figure it out." Brody said, shaking his head, before focusing back on the board. "E7!" He said, crowing triumphantly when the board said electronically. "Hit. Battleship sunk."

"Let's hope no time soon." Peyton chuckled, kissing his freshly washed, gel free head. "I'll leave you two to your warfare. See you in a bit."

They left the boys to it, heading down the stairs and to the kitchen, as Peyton began to wash the dishes from dinner. "Do you sing to Brody too?" Brooke asked as she settled into a kitchen chair.

"Hmmm?" Peyton said, distracted. "Oh, yeah, it actually started with Brody. And so far, he hasn't asked me to stop, so he still gets sung to too. Matter of fact, that's how they got the idea to sing to Tink. I've been singing to the boys since they were babies, so when Tink came along, they wanted to do the same for her."

"But that means you don't get to sing to her." Brooke said, frowning.

"But somebody who loves her does." Peyton said, turning around to face Brooke. "It's not a competition, Brooke. Do I love Tink any less because I don't sing to her? Do I love the boys more because I sing to them?" She tried to explain. "There is nothing that warms my heart more than to realize that the way I love my boys allows them to love their sister like that."

"And I thought she was a daddy's girl." Brooke said jokingly.

Peyton shook her head. "Nope, she's a Scott's girl. Wait 'til all the cousins are over, they almost fight to be the ones to spoil her. The Scott men sure do love their girls."

"Who would've thought that people would wish they could be a Scott kid?" Brooke thought to herself later that evening as she watched Peyton and Lucas stand by Brody's loft bed, his face almost level with theirs due to the height of the loft.

_Peyton: "The world could fall apart  
But you're my heart, my dear  
I will sing this song  
'Til we are gone, my dear"_

_Lucas: "How do I keep you from losing your way  
Hope you'll go out and you'll come back some day  
But love is letting go  
And this I'll know_

_Peyton: "Cause you were mine  
For a time."_

Peyton laid a hand on Brody's head, and this time, Brody didn't bother to push it away.

_Lucas: "I could shape your mind  
But why waste time, my dear  
There's so much more to know  
And I can show you dear."_

_Peyton: "How do I keep you from losing your way  
Hope you'll go out and you'll come back some day  
But love is letting go  
And this I'll know_

Lucas placed his hand on Brody's back and began to rub it gently, back and forth, as he sung his line.

_Lucas: Cause you were mine  
For a time_

_Peyton: "I have held you close  
And breathed your name, my dear  
I was with you then  
And will remain, my dear."_

_Lucas: "How do I keep you from losing your way  
Hope you will find love like I did some day"_

He slowed, sharing a glance with Peyton. Brooke looked away, the moment so private she felt like she was intruding. Peyton slid her free arm around his back, and they picked up the song, ending softly together.

_"But love is letting go  
And this I'll know_

_Cause you were mine  
For a time."_

"Goodnight my first-loved. I love you." Peyton kissed his forehead, leaning back and allowing Lucas to do the same.

"G'night, mom, dad, love you too." Brody turned over, snuggling deep under the sheet, as Peyton and Lucas let themselves out of the room, joining Brooke in the hall.

"I know I don't have to say it, and I don't know if I ever did, but thank you, for loving him the way you do." Brooke said, tearfully, glancing first at Peyton, then Lucas.

"We didn't do it for you. We did it for him." Lucas said evenly. At Peyton's elbow in his ribs, he grunted. More cordially, he added. "And you're welcome."

Peyton nodded, "See you in the morning."

They parted ways, Lucas and Peyton walking to their room, while Brooke started her trek down the stairs back to hers. It had been a long emotional day, with a lot to take in. She couldn't remember a time she'd cried so much, but since she had come to Tree Hill, she had become a regular waterworks. As Brooke settled in her bed and looked at the clock, she also realized that here she was, in bed before 11. Oh how her world had changed.

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A/N: I don't know why, I just always see Peyton singing to her kids, even though I don't think she has a good voice. What do you guys think? Can Peyton sing? You guys already told me in WS that Lucas can't.

Also, anybody have an idea when Peyton's b-day is? Im thinking she's a Cancer, so her bday's in the summer, but if anybody has an idea, Id love to hear it.

Tink's song- Ill be There by the Jackson 5

Scooter's song- Stay awake by Julie Andrews from the Mary Poppin's Movie

Einstein's song- Lullaby for Wyatt by Sheryl Crow

For everyone who read Anything for Brody, yes, Einstein's song is different. Both Einstein and Scooter's song changed when they got older and left the baby years.

Feel free to use Leyton techniques of parenting on your kids! And don't forget to review!


	8. Meet the Little Einsteins

A/N: Once again you guys rock and have won an extra update! I think Peyton can carry a tune, she's just not rock star good. We're gonna go with July 12th for Peyton's birthday- thanks to everyone who told me to look on the tombstone, although technically, those aren't right either, since Jimmy Edwards and Keith Scott's date of deaths are like months apart. Ahh, the joys of trying to follow the Tree Hill timeline.

So, I answering from chapter 6 and 7 reviews, since I didn't on Monday, and I know some of you guys like the AN's.

Kelsey- cant wait for the Sawyer one shot! And the reviews weren't showing up for some reason. Just in my email, but not on the site! And she didn't forget about Lily. She said the first girl in 7 years. Lily is 9 in this fic minus 7 equals how old Tink is now.

Kathiria- No Brooke isn't going to live with Leyton the entire story, but it will be long while, at least chapter wise, since some days are several chapters long. Brody will never leave Leyton. He is their son, and will stay that way. Peyton is able to have more kids, but don't you think three is enough? _Do_ you think they think three is enough?

RJ- Haley _was_ around for 10 years, and you'll see that friendship come into play as Brooke is in Tree Hill longer. Peyton is nice to Brooke, but if you look closely, is the relationship really that of best friends? And Tink's reaction to Brooke was just because she doesn't like her- she has picked up on her father's feelings. It doesn't have anything to do with why she doesn't walk or talk.

Marybeth- I don't know if Peyton and Brooke will ever get back to where they were. After all, Peyton let Brooke back in because of their history. But willl Brooke be able to win back her best friend spot? Peyton is still Brooke's best friend, but is Brooke Peyton's?...

And I agree that Peyton is a cancer. Plus, if she is I get to write her a birthday day, so we're going with that.

M's- Scooter doesn't know that Brooke is Brody's mother. So far Brody knows and the adults know, and maybe someone else…. Nate is Switzerland. He hasn't invited Brooke over to his house to hang out, but he isn't being mean either. Neutral. And yes, you will see that everyone loves their Scott girl.

Skittlebox- Brooke was supposed to be Anna's godmother if they'd remained friends after high school. Anna's name was supposed to be Anna Brooke Scott, as you will see in a flashback, but she was named instead after Karen and Haley- Kayley, since Brooke wasnt around. Faith and Skills are Anna's godparents.

Lalez- good to see you!

Chocolatemud and lalez- thanks for coming in and reviewing the chapters you caught up on! I appreciate it, and everyone reading appreciates how it got them closer to extra updates!

Firestarterchik- Your wish is granted. I have included some Lathan scenes in future chapters just for you, cause you asked for them, though there are several scenes with Lathan and their spouses, as you will see later. There are all kinds of pairings in this fic. Good news, but also bad because that means sometimes you have to wait a while to see the pairing again. Im tryna figure out how to get more Laley though. Those two are not showing up much alone in this fic.

Lukenpeyton4ever- Brooke is not going to take over Peyton's life. Remember, they are just showing her their life, she isn't always a participant; most times she's an observer. Nothing will break up Leyton and kids!

Misshay- Brooke was apologizing for jumping to conclusions about Lucas and Brody

Bkworm- you are very right, on a lot of counts!

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Chapter 7 Meet the Little Einsteins

Saturday, July 7th, 2016

It was almost 10 o'clock by the time Lucas finished picking everyone up from their respective houses and pulled up to the rivercourt.

He turned around in his seat as the kids began to unbuckle their seatbelts and open the door.

"You know, you guys really need to think about building a tree house or something in the backyard if this going to keep up. The price of gas is getting to be too much for these pow-wows." Lucas joked.

"Well, Dad, you wouldn't have to drive us if you let us come on our own." Brody said, with wide-eyed innocence.

"You're lucky I leave you here alone, wiseguy. I could always stick around like I used to. I'll just go get Scooter and Tink, and…" Lucas smiled at the chorus of no's from the backseat. That's what I thought. Besides, what did Grandma Karen say?" Lucas said, reminding them of the rules.

"Middle school is soon enough to run around town like wild children." Jamie said helpfully.

"Yeah, we have to wait til _Lily_ gets to middle school." Jenny said smugly. "Since I'm already there, in case you forgot."

"You don't start middle school until the fall, so technically you're not there yet either." Lily shot back.

Lucas, hearing all of it, ignored the bickering and did his best not to chuckle. To tell the truth, he loved it, because his sister, his family's kids, and his friend's kids, had all gotten what had taken him years to build: a core unit of friends, someone to always be there when they needed it. Which is why he didn't mind the little fights and scrapes they got into. Because even though they were bickering now, in 10 minutes he would be gone, and they would band together, ready to wrestle through whatever the problem of the week was. And he was happy to say as a parent, that these little pow wow sessions happened rarely, and he liked to think it was because they (the parents) were doing a good job keeping their kids safe and secure.

"That's right. When Lily hits middle school, the town is yours, to walk and ride as you please. But until then, Rocket remains in control. Now, what are the rules?"

"You'll be back in an hour."

"Don't go off the rivercourt."

"Don't anyone leave the group."

"Call if someone comes and looks sketchy."

"Say no to drugs." Jamie called out helpfully. Everyone turned and stared at him in amazement.

"What?" he said, as everyone looked at him. "It was on a commercial this morning."

Lucas laughed. "Cool, and say no to drugs. Alright, everybody out." Lucas passed Jenny, the oldest, the Migo, a cell phone with only 4 programmable numbers. Lucas' cell phone was 1, Peyton's was 2, Karen's was 3 and Haley's was 4, with the red button being an emergency call button. Even though many of their children's friends had real cell phones, the Scotts didn't see why an elementary school kid needed a phone, when they would be at supervised locations all of the time. But the Migo phone was perfect for occasions like this one. To date, it had never been used, but Lucas still felt better when the kids had a way to get in touch with someone if they needed to.

When everyone first moved back to town, they all got together and chipped in money to install a playground a short distance from the basketball court, so when the Little Einsteins needed to meet, Lucas would leave them alone on the court, taking Scooter, and later, Tink, over to the playground to play, out of hearing distance, but still in plain view. With Jenny heading to middle school in the fall, the adults got together and decided that these get togethers would be good opportunities to see how the kids would handle being on their own without being on their 'own,' so now they were truly left alone.

The last out of the car, Andre was the first to the court as he stole the ball out of Jamie's hands and ran, dribbling the ball as soon as he hit the blacktop. Jamie chased after him, with Lily and Jenny followed close behind as they began to chat, catching up from the day before. Lucas put his hand on Brody's arm, holding him up as he went to get out of the front passenger seat.

"Everything okay?" Lucas asked quietly.

Brody looked at him and nodded. "Yeah. It's a lot to take in," he confessed, "But I'm good. I just need to process."

Lucas held his gaze for a minute, then nodded. "Okay. You know you can always come to me and your mom to talk if you need to."

"I know." Brody said, before getting out of the car and joining his 'cousins' on the court.

Jamie and Andre had started an impromptu game of one on one as they waited for Brody to get out the car, the girls already at their favored spot on the bleachers. Brody sat down beneath them, leaning his back against Jenny's knees as he watched Jamie and Andre play, absentmindly listening to the girls talk behind him. He was content to wait for Jamie, who had called the meeting, partly because he wasn't sure what this was about, partly because he _was_ sure, and he didn't know yet how he felt about things.

So he watched as first Jamie, then Andre scored, and he listened as Jenny and Lily talked about their plans for the day, letting his mind drift and enjoying not having to think about anything for a while.

All too soon, Jamie and Andre finished, as Andre shouted triumphantly, "5 and game," leaving Jamie to grin and clap his back, taunting, "I just let you win 'cause we've got things to do."

Andre just smiled. "That's cool. Good game." Brody shook his head at the exchange. Andre was so chill and quiet- he never entered into the smart talk and sarcastic banter that the cousins and siblings often engaged in. It wasn't that he couldn't, because he might has well been another family member- his personality was just too nice to be anything but positive and uplifting, even in jest.

"Alright, Leo, this is great and all, but what'd you call the meeting for?" Jenny said, getting a little impatient with just sitting around.

Jamie jogged over, with Andre close behind, and sat below Lily, as Andre sat next to him, with Brody completing the circle as he turned around the face the girls.

"I called this meeting because we've got a situation." Jamie said solemnly. "I overheard my mom and dad talking about Brooke, and it wasn't good, Einstein."

"Who's Brooke?" Andre said, interrupting. While it wasn't a secret Brody wasn't Peyton's biological son, it also wasn't talked about either, so while Andre knew Peyton was Brody's stepmom because he was so close to the family, he didn't know all the details. Quickly, Brody filled him in on the events of the past few days, adding in things the others didn't know either- about the tension in the house, and how he and his mom seemed to be the only ones okay with Brooke being there.

"It's crazy, you know? Mom's all excited because her best friend's back, but Dad's been kinda mean to her. I mean, he gets along with everybody, but with Brooke, he's so cold that even Scooter and Tink don't like her just because they can tell he doesn't." Brody finished.

"Yeah," Jamie said, adding. "That's what I wanted to tell you. My mom isn't real happy she's back either. She and dad even got in a fight over it yesterday, 'cause Dad thinks everybody should be nice to her, and Mom says she doesn't deserve it."

Jamie quickly filled them in on the conversation he'd eavesdropped on the other night before putting a hand on Brody's shoulders. "All the adults are tryna figure out what they're gonna do, but I called this meeting to see how you feel about all this, and to let you know that whatever you want us to do, we will."

Jenny and Lily nodded, with Andre in agreement too. Jamie continued. "I don't know if you feel okay talking with your dad about it, but we are here if you want to talk about it without hurting anybody's feelings."

Brody nodded solemnly. "Thanks guys. I appreciate it."

He sighed. "I don't know what to think. I mean, I'm not worried about going to dad or mom about this to talk to them, because they already told me I could. And I think Dad's just mad at her because he's scared Im gonna be hurt if she leaves again."

He shrugged. "But I don't have _any_ memories of this lady, and I don't really know how I'm supposed to feel now. Is it bad that I don't care either way if she stays or goes? I have an awesome mom; I have really cool aunts, what do I need her for? Honestly, with all the drama that's happened in the past week, I kinda wish she never came at all. Mom and dad were fighting, Jamie's parents are fighting, Scooter's all mean…"

"But it's kinda cool right?" Jenny said, having not seen her birth mother in almost 6 years. "I mean, as much as I love Mom," A spurt of pleasure flowed through her as it always did when she called Joy 'Mom'. "I've got a lot of questions for Nicki, too. You have the chance to ask your birth mom those things."

"But I don't have any questions for her. Mom's always answered any questions I've had." Brody reminded Jenny.

"And its not Einstein all the adults are worried about, Annie." Jamie said quietly. "Everybody's worried about Aunt Peyton, because they're scared she's gonna get hurt if Brooke leaves again. That's why my mom's upset. That, and she's mad because Brooke wasn't here when Aunt Peyton needed her."

Brody's eyes widened. "You know, that might be why Dad is so mad too." It was well-known that Lucas Scott did not like anyone upsetting his wife.

"I haven't heard Mom and Dad talk about it yet, but we're going to Einstein's house tonight. We can always see how my mom acts around her, too." Lily added.

Andre had been listening quietly as everybody spoke back and forth. When the conversation reached a lull, he began to speak. "Why don't you just be nice to her and see what happens?"

"But what happens if we let her in and she leaves again, after causing all this drama?" Brody said, not sure how he felt, but not liking the confusion.

"What if everybody is so mean to her that she leaves, when she planned to stay?" Andre offered another point of view. "From what I hear, Brooke was Aunt Peyton's best friend, right?"

Everybody nodded. He continued. "Okay, so what if it was me, and we had been separated for a long time, and then I came back? I'd want you to be nice to me. Wouldn't you want me to be nice to you?"

"Well, yea, but I wouldn't leave you for 10 years, cause we're family!" Brody protested.

"You can't say that, cause things happen, and you can't always control it." Andre said simply, spoken like a boy who had lived through too much of the bad things in life, and knew what he was talking about. He shrugged.

"I just think that you should let the adults do what they are gonna do, but we should treat her kindly, because it's the right thing to do. At least until she proves she's a bad person." Andre finished.

"I just don't understand how you could leave family for 10 years and then expect to just walk back in like nothing happened." Lily said with the black and white logic of a 9 year old as she crossed her arms.

"I think its better late than never, especially if they've changed." Jenny said quietly, thinking about her birth mother, who, even though she tried, still hadn't gotten her act together.

"And if she was family, then maybe the question you should ask her is why she left in the first place, and if she's back to stay." Andre said, his last word of the day.

"But I don't know what I want her to do, stay or go!" Brody protested. "That's the problem!" He said, shaking his head.

"Well, its not like you have a choice." Jamie said rationally. "She's gonna be here for a while. So when you figure it out, you can let us know, and we'll follow your lead. You want to let her in, we'll let her in. You want her out, she's out." Jamie looked at Andre. "Treating her respectfully of course."

Brody looked at Andre too. "Hey, you doing anything today?" Andre shook his head. "Ask your mom if you can spend the night, and you can see things for yourself."

"Cool." Andre said. "But just so you know, I'm gonna be nice to her regardless of what you decide." He warned.

"I know." Brody said understanding. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

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A/N: Andre, yet another character I borrowed from Mark and OTH. Gotta love little schemers.

Im back to my six page chapters, so if you cant think of anything to review, how about a vote.

How many kids do you think Leyton's final count would be? So far they have three. Are they stopping there, or would there be more (not necessarily in this fic, but in general)?


	9. You Are Still My Child

A/N: Back to adults, Im afraid. Tinks chapter explanation and such is now chapter 17. If you cant wait til then, PM me for spoilers.

Lalez- what kind of questions should Brody ask Brooke? Peyton talks to him about Brooke all the time, so what else would he need to know?

Stagediva- I enjoy your rant, because I agree. My niece has a cell phone, and its just wasted money because she's always losing it, or charging ring tones to it, or accidentally going online.

A-dono- I always saw 3 kids for Leyton, but in this fic, only two of them are biologically Leyton's, and that is what is tripping me up, because I think if they didn't have Brody, Peyton would have had three kids. So does that change the number overall to 4- Leyton with 3 and Brody? Hence the question.

Mcgirl, there is drama coming! Chapter 12 is all for you.

HJS- he is older beyond his years- one because he is older than the kids (I always felt Andre was a little older than Jamie on the show), and because he has had a hard life. On the show he had no dad, I don't think they had a lot of money, he lost his brother to violence, and his mother was in a bad place for a while. So yeah, he is much older in life years than the others.

Grayfan- I love the Breyton friendship too. But it gets a little rocky, as you will see.

Bkworm- your question about Q is answered in this chapter, so Im gonna let you read it. Remember, you guys are learning with Brooke most of the time, so when she finds out something, so do you! Jamies godmother is Peyton and Lucas. I never understood why Brooke was the godmother in the series. Even though Haley was friends with Brooke, Peyton was also her friend and the better choice, since she was also good friends with Nathan, and she had the added bonus of being in a relationship with the godfather (which most people take into consideration since godparents tend to be next in line if something happens to the parents.), not to mention good with kids (as evidenced by Jenny). So yeah, even if Brooke had stayed, Peyton to me was always the most logical choice for Jamie's godmother.

BTW- you hit the nail on the head with Anna.

Bubbletoes- I wish I could update everyday too, but I cant write that fast, and if I updated everyday, eventually daily updates would stop because I ran out of material. The way I do it now I am always at least 5 chapters ahead of you guys. I like the kids in this fic too. I think sometimes they steal the adults airtime. Like Jamie. Lol.

RJ- nice try, but you know that giving you more than 7 pages is a treat with me!

Kelsey- You'll find out about Andre in this chapter. But your instincts are on point! If they did have another baby, it would prob be a girl. You and Lucas have a similar mindset, as you will see a long time from now. I don't know whats up with that, but Im following the trend. Make me wonder what another Leyton girl would be named, since Sawyer and Anna are taken.

M's- Like I told Kelsey, you and Lucas are on the same page. Think he'll convince Peyton? Kids are fun to write for me, so Im glad you love to read about them. I was a little worried about the kid heavy chapter, but I should have known you guys wouldn't read my fics if you didn't like the kid scenes I love to throw in.

Amanda- Don't feel weird, I see that pattern too. The first an accident (Scotts are famous for those), the middle two planned. And then they agree to stop at three and baby number 4 comes along, a pleasant surprise! This fic is hard though, because Brody is kinda adopted. So would baby number 4 be planned or a surprise, since technically its Leyton baby three?

MrsCullen21- It bothers me too seeing young kids with cell phones. If you think about it, cell phones have only been around for 20 years, and plenty of kids grew up just fine without them, so they are not a necessity like people think. Thanks for the compliment on the chapters. I like Tink this way too, because even though she's delayed, she's not any less loveable.

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Chapter 8 You are Still My Child

Saturday, July 7th, 1pm

There was yet another child in the house. Brooke noticed the addition at lunchtime, a caramel- skinned, curly-haired boy around Brody's age. He was slow to talk but quick to smile, speaking to everyone kindly and even drawing giggles out of Tink during the meal of hot dogs and baked beans. Brooke was quiet as well during the meal, still in awe.

Brody's reality was a far cry from her childhood, a world where children grew up too quickly because they were left too often on their own. She had been in Tree Hill for almost a week, and she had yet to see any child fending for themselves. Not only that, the Scott house was practically a revolving door of children; Peyton and Lucas didn't even blink an eye at the sight of different faces on the couch or in the backyard, they just pulled out extra snacks, or in the case of Andre, set another place at the table. After lunch Brooke volunteered to help clear the table, but she was turned down by Brody.

"Don't worry about it. Andre and I got it." He said coolly.

Brooke was a little taken aback by his seeming change in attitude. When she first arrived he was friendly and pretty helpful to her- today she distinctly felt a difference. Not to the extent of Lucas' freeze, though after yesterday she sensed that he was trying, but definitely cooler than the day of the cookout.

Brooke meandered over to where Peyton was struggling to clean up a squirming Anna, who whined and strained against Peyton's grasp. "Do you need help?" Brooke asked cautiously.

Peyton glanced up before turning her attention back to Anna, who was sitting in her lap. "Oh, this is just typical toddler, but if you want, you can hold her while I try to get the brown before it hits the white." She joked, gesturing towards Anna's shorts, and her top.

Brooke sat down in the chair and held out her arms, causing Anna to shake her head, turn to Peyton and hold out her hands after making a quick motion with them.

Laughing, Peyton quickly cleaned the offered hands and face before hugging a now spotless baby. "Thank you for being good, baby girl."

"Well, I'm glad I could help in some way," Brooke joked, doing her best not to be hurt by the little girl's obvious avoidance of her. "By the way, how is Andre related to you guys? Is he Skills' son or relative?"

Peyton was distracted by watching Anna, who had been placed on the floor and was crawling jet speed to catch up with Brody and Andre, squealing "Bo-dee" after her brother, causing him to pause and pick her up before following Andre into the basement. As her offspring disappeared down the stairs, she turned her attention back to Brooke.

"Andre? No, Andre isn't related, though he might as well be after all this time. His mother says he spends so much time with Einstein and Jamie that she's thinking about changing his last name to Scott!" Peyton chuckled, then sobered.

"Andre is 11, and he was the little brother of one of Lucas and Skills' basketball players, a young man named Quentin Fields. I think Jamie had just turned 5 when Quentin was shot getting gas at the gas station. His mom was pretty messed up for a while, and since Andre, Jamie, and Brody had taken a liking to each other during the season, we ended up watching him a lot that following year to give her a chance to grieve." Peyton sat a moment, remembering. "I think it helped Andre too, 'cause in a way, he lost one brother, but gained 2."

"As well as some aunts and uncles and cousins. You guys are pretty inclusive." Brooke added.

"Thank you" Peyton said, smiling. "That's what we were going for."

They were interrupted by their talk by Lucas, who had entered in through the front door.

"Peyt?" he called out.

"In here," she called back. She squealed and chuckled, startled as he bounded in the room and scooped her out of the seat, placing a scorching hot kiss on her lips and twirling her around.

"Luke," Peyton gasped as he left her lips and made his way down her neck. "Luke, we've got company." Her breath hitched as he hit a particularly sensitive spot.

He lifted his head, glancing around before his gaze fell on an embarrassed Brooke, who was doing her best to look at anything other than the ardent embrace of the two lovebirds.

"Oh, hey Brooke. Still here?" Lucas said, before cleaning it up as the flat of Peyton's hand met his back. "I meant in the kitchen! Sheesh. You keep it up and I'm calling the spousal abuse hotline." He grumbled to Peyton.

"You keep it up and you're gonna need to." Peyton retorted back. "Now," she said, patting his chest. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that all about?"

"How does you and me and no kids sound for the night?" Lucas said, reaching in his pocket and pulling out two concert tickets.

"You didn't!" Peyton squealed, forgetting her audience and pulling Lucas down into a kiss even hotter than the first.

Brooke got up and made her way unnoticed down into the basement, where she passed by Andre and William downstairs hopping around on some sort of plastic mat in front of the television, Anna was standing upright, bouncing up and down with the help of Brody's hands that gripped hers tightly as she danced to the music.

She sat on her bed, at odds with what to do with herself, both at the moment and that night. Her only ally, Peyton, would be off with her husband for the night. Was she expected to babysit? She didn't know what to do with kids, but since she was staying in their house, she wasn't going to say no if they asked her.

Or maybe they wouldn't ask her. After all, she and Peyton would stay alone all the time after Peyton's mother died, with only each other for support. And Brody not only had Andre, but William was old enough to not be too much to handle. Satisfied she had nothing to worry about, she solved the more recent problem of what to do now. She left her room and took up what was becoming her spot on the couch; an observer, non participator of Peyton's world.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She really did have nothing to worry about. Karen and Keith arrived at the house around 5, KJ and Lily thundering up the stairs to Brody and William's room, where all the kids had congregated after 'quiet time,' which meant a nap for William and Anna, quiet playing in Brody's room for Brody and Andre, and child-free time for Lucas and Peyton.

She and Peyton had started a game of pool in the game room, only to be joined by Lucas after he laid Anna down, and if she had forgotten how expressive Lucas and Peyton were nonverbally in high school, she was reminded after the round of eye sex she had been witness to during their game of 9 ball, smoldering looks that were accompanied by actual displays of affection- she had also forgotten how expressive Peyton was, though Lucas' daring was a bit of a surprise too. But then again, they _were_ in their own home.

Feeling like a third wheel after the fifth ball hit the pocket, and a little upset her alone time with Peyton was interrupted, Brooke allowed Peyton to win the game quickly and had ended up in the living room, flipping through channels and trying to figure out what she was going to do with her life, until Karen and crew showed up at the door. Peyton had been wonderful since she had arrived, kind and understanding- and it had Brooke worried. Peyton had allowed her entrance into her home, but Brooke feared her heart was still on lockdown.

Oh, Peyton defended her to others, taking her side when Lucas and Haley proved unreasonable, but there was something still off about the whole thing- Brooke was still a guest in Peyton's home, not a friend. She was brought her drinks- a best friend would have been told to go get her own glass. Peyton caught her up on everyone's lives, but there were no random conversations about life and love- Peyton's feelings were never shared. Peyton didn't come down and talk to Brooke about her relationship with Lucas, or how stressful she found work- she called Haley for those things.

And as much as Brooke appreciated the welcome, she was now thinking she would have preferred being yelled at. She knew how much her leaving had hurt Peyton, because she knew how much it had hurt her to leave. And the fact that Peyton had not truly confronted her about her defection did not reassure Brooke, but just made her realize how distant this Peyton truly was from the best friend she had 10 years ago.

In some ways, she wished Peyton _had_ slammed the door in her face and told her to go away- at least then Brooke would know how much she still meant to Peyton, with the line between love and hate being so thin. But the goodness Peyton was showing was so superficial that Brooke worried maybe there was nothing left of Peyton's love _but_ obligation- you didn't turn away family, but you didn't have to be their friend either. There was nothing Brooke could do at this point but hope that over time the obligation would turn back to love, once Peyton could trust that she wouldn't leave again.

When Peyton and Lucas left for their night out, Brooke went to her room and hid there for as long as she could, until finally she could take it no longer. She had always avoided her problems- that _was_ the problem. So maybe it was time to find a new approach.

Making her way up the stairs, she slowly entered the living room, where she found Karen and Keith watching a television program and talking quietly, every one in a while a soft laugh escaping from Karen as Keith murmured something in her ear. Brooke could tell by the thumps overhead that all the kids were still upstairs.

It was all so achingly normal, and so achingly abnormal in her world and that of the people she used to know; she couldn't help but wonder how her life would be different if she had walked in on more scenes like this as a child.

Stepping into the room, she cleared her throat, causing Karen and Keith to turn and look at her over the couch. She clutched her hands together tightly for strength. "Excuse me, Keith. Karen? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, honey." Karen said, turning to Keith as he whispered something in her ear and pecked her lips before leaving the room, walking past Brooke and pressing a reassuring hand to her shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, Brooke crossed the room and sat down on the couch perpendicular to the one Karen sat on.

"I wanted to talk to you, because I haven't had a chance to since I arrived. I pretty much know how Peyton and Lucas feel, and Haley and Nathan, but I'm not sure how you feel about all of this." Brooke said quickly. "Me coming back, that is."

Karen stared at her quietly, not saying anything for a moment, causing Brooke to continue speaking, unable to stand the silence. "You probably have figured out that Lucas is not too happy about my return, and neither is Haley. But I'm hoping maybe you could find it in your heart to forgive me for leaving, and be okay with me coming back."

She rushed on. "I'm not here to cause trouble, and I'm not going to take Brody away. I am so grateful for what they've…you've done for him. And even when I get back on my feet, I'm not going to disappear again. I learned my lesson." Embarrassed at her outburst, she bent her head, looking at her fingers and waiting for the censure, the biting words.

She startled as she felt Karen's hand grab hers, looking up to find that Karen had moved beside her on the couch. Karen held her gaze for a moment, then began to speak. "I was 18 when I had Lucas, and horribly in love with his father. And even then, I had thoughts about abortion, or adoption, because if I did either one of those things, my family promised to stand by me. I could go to college, and get a good job, and be able to leave Tree Hill and see the world like I always dreamed."

Brooke's eyes widened as Karen began to share a piece of her story that not many people knew. "I didn't do any of those things, as you well know. I had Lucas, and I kept Lucas, and even though my family didn't support me, and I went through days where if I could eat and pay rent at the same time it was a miracle, and I didn't get a chance to live my dream until Lucas was almost grown, I haven't regretted my decision for a day. Because I had Keith for support, and I had Lucas, and watching my son grow into the man he is today was worth every sacrifice."

She gently cupped Brooke's face. "You carried your son for 9 months, and gave him to a family that loves him and is _so_ glad he is a part of our lives. And for that, as his grandmother, I will always be grateful to you for the decision you made, Brooke Davis. So, for me, there is nothing to forgive."

Brooke let loose the tears as Karen's words washed over her body, releasing the tension it held as she prepared herself for the reaction she had expected her mother to give.

But Karen wasn't finished. "When Lucas was older, and the café was doing okay, and I had bought a house, and had finally reached what I thought was success, I went back to my parents to reconcile, and they refused to accept me back into their lives, still upset over the decision I had made years ago. To this day, Lucas doesn't have a relationship with his grandparents, my mother and father. So I also know how it feels to try to come home."

Karen continued. "Would it have been better to have never left? I can't say, because it worked itself out in the end. Would it have been nice if you had come back sooner? Of course. You've missed a lot of living in these past 10 years, not just of your son, but of your friends, the people you loved. But in my opinion, the person that was hurt the most from that decision was you. You never got to see the best part of you become the beautiful young man he is today. You haven't seen the woman who was like a sister to you in ten years. I think that's enough punishment for what you've done. No need for me to add to it."

"Maybe if I had a mom like you, I wouldn't have needed to leave." Brooke confessed, giving in and leaning on Karen's shoulder, as it seemed to creep closer to her until it just made sense to rest her head in the available space.

Karen gathered her close, ever the mother. "I like to think I was there for you when you were dating my son, and I'd like to think that had you stayed, I would have continued to be there for you, even when you weren't with him anymore. Just know that I am here for you now as well, anytime you need to talk."

"How about if I need a job?" Brooke said half-jokingly, wiping her eyes with the tissue that miraculously appeared in front of her.

Karen raised her head up, looking into her eyes for a moment before nodding. "I think that can be arranged."

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Chapter title is a phrase from a gospel song by Mary Mary called Still My Child it was the song that kept running through my head when I was writing this.

Don't you just love Karen? I do, which is why I keep putting her in my fics

Another question for you guys. If Peyton were to go on a girls **day **out with Haley for her birthday, do you think she would bring Tink along, or is it adults only?

Also, do you think this Brooke remembered Peyton's birthday, or will she have forgotten? Opinions?


	10. Family Advice

A/N: Today is a special day so you get an extra update. Why? Because Annie's back (my faithful anon viewer with nice long reviews for my other stories)! YAY! Why is this special? Because since Annie was an anon reviewer, I had no way of letting her know that the sequel was up, so I was looking for her, and now she's here, and she came back reviewing every single individual chapter! So to celebrate her arrival, here's an extra chapter. There will be a chapter up Monday too! Bkworm, I know this makes you happy! BTW, You guys are awesome! Your opinions really have been helpful for Peyton's birthday celebration (around chapter 20)!

Cayt- you wont find out about Tink until chapter 17. Im having you guys learn about the family as Brooke does, and since days are like 3 chapters, its gonna take awhile.

M's- BP will get there, but its gonna take at least another 10 chapters, and that's the quickest it'll be. I haven't really flashbacked yet, and those are entire chapters! I LOVE KAREN TOO! I wanted her back on the show so much! They could have even faked me out, like having Peyton talking on the phone to Karen. They wouldn't even need Moira- we could just hear Peyton's side and Id have been happy.

Kelsey- Its all up to me? Ohhhh the power! But truthfully, you guys are great, and can sometimes change the way a story goes. That's why I ask you for your opinions when Im not married to an idea, so you guys can have input!

A-dono- Its not superficial. I know that's the word Brooke used, but Peyton is reacting how she feels. Shes glad Brooke is back, but its been 10 years since Brooke has acted in any kind of friend capacity, so of course Peyton isn't going to turn to her like she did when they were teenagers. Kind of like 4.11 when Brooke told Peyton they could be friends, but they couldn't go back to the way things were (hint hint). It's the same thing here, only reversed.

BTW- still waiting patiently for the last chapter of 'suddenly everything is clear'. Hows Luke gonna win Peyton back from Jake?

Bkworm- Thank you for the thank you. I sometimes worry that people get annoyed that I talk so much in my AN, but I figure it's a small price to pay. Its good to know someone enjoys them as much as I love responding to you guys. I loved the slumber party epi too, and the bachelor party- pretty much any BPH scene. Don't worry, Karen has learned her lesson- no more tough love, just love. And just so you know, this bonus chapter is an anomaly. I only suggested it the last time cause I thought you guys would make it to 200 before Saturday, but you didn't get over the hundred mark until Monday, so it was moot point. If you guys ever made it past another 100 after you earned your Wednesday update, I would consider a weekend update again.

Crazyjan- you are right, they do need to address their issues to get back to being friends like they used to be. Its gonna be awhile though- in the show it took psycho Derek and near death experience to bring them back together, and they were only separated a couple of months. Whats gonna bring them back after a couple of years? *evil smirk*

Annie- glad you found the story- I am so happy to see you! Did you see me looking for you in chapter 5? I sure hope you are the same Annie Ive talked to in other fics, or this would be just a little awkward. lol

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Chapter 9 Family Advice

July 7th 7pm

Dinner was chaotic, and Brooke imagined that wasn't unusual, with so many kids at one table. For some reason, it didn't bother her in the least that she was being ignored; at some point during the meal she realized that it was what kids do, after she noticed that they didn't talk much to Karen and Keith either. It didn't hurt that her conversation with Karen had given her a new confidence in her decision to return- she had another ally, someone else to turn to besides Peyton, which somehow made all the difference in the world.

"Okay. Everyone under the age of 12, clean your place off, wash your hands, and head off to the showers. We'll put Tink to bed once everyone's done, and then we can start a game of Clue before bedtime."

Brooke smiled at the mad scramble for the kitchen sink by the 5 kids. She had no idea what Clue was, but apparently it was a big hit in this house.

"Brooke, do you mind if I use your bathroom to get Anna ready for bed? It would be a big help if I can free up one of the bathrooms upstairs."

"Of course, Karen." Brooke said. "And you didn't have to ask."

"Yes I did." Karen said, placing a hand on Brooke's shoulder. "That's your space now, and I am going to respect it."

"Karen? Can I help you? Get Tink ready for bed, I mean." Brooke asked hesitantly.

Karen smiled. "Sure you can. You want to pick her up for me while I go get her things?"

Brooke nodded eagerly, heading over to where Anna sat, playing gleefully with her fork and spoon. She looked up warily at Brooke as she came nearer, and she frowned as Brooke reached down to pick her up.

"No!" she said, glaring at Brooke and slapping her hands away as she tried to get a grasp.

Brooke felt a prickling behind her eyes at the obvious dislike emanating off the little girl. Brooke had assumed that her reluctance to come to her was more because of a preference for her mother and father, since she had seen Anna turn away from her mother often enough in favor of staying with Lucas, and Peyton was never phased by it.

But for some reason, her lack of affinity with Peyton's little girl was really getting to her. Even when they were little kids, playing with barbies and other dolls, Brooke had plans on being the godmother and favorite aunt, spoiling Peyton's daughter rotten. She had visions of taking her to the mall, and being her confidant, and doing with her all of the girly stuff Peyton didn't care for, but would appreciate her daughter having.

Anna was Peyton's daughter, but Brooke was not her aunt at all, much less a favored one. And that realization hurt deep every time Anna treated her like a stranger, because it only served to remind her that's exactly what she was, and she had nobody to blame but herself.

"Gan-ma!" Anna shrieked, straining away from Brooke and reaching out to Karen, who stood by. Brooke turned to Karen, and pasted a smile on her face. "With Peyton's genes, I shouldn't expect anything less. How about we switch? You tell me where the clothes are, and Ill get them while you get Tink out."

Karen nodded in agreement, walking over and plucking Anna out of her high chair. Anna frowned at Karen, making quick motions with her hands.

"Oh baby." Karen sighed. "Alright, time for a bath. Do you want your toys?" Anna nodded, and made another series of motions with her hands.

"Ok. Rubber duckies it is." Karen turned to Brooke, who stood waiting by the door. Quickly she explained where Anna's things were before heading down to the basement.

Brooke grabbed the necessary items and made her way back downstairs, laying everything out on her bed except for the bath toys and entering the bathroom, where Karen had a naked Anna on her lap as she ran the water. Brooke took a seat on the toilet cover, watching as Karen tested the water with her elbow before putting Anna inside.

They both watched for a moment as Anna splashed excitedly in the tub, playing with her ducks. She looked up at Karen and grinned, holding up the duck. "Yes, that's a duck, baby. Duckie goes quack quack."

Anna looked at the duck, then back at Karen. "Cack Cack!" she said, before placing the duck back in the water, every once in a while another 'quack' leaving her lips.

"Can I ask you a question?" Brooke said. At Karen's nod, she continued. "I noticed that Tink uses her hands to talk. Is it sign language?"

"She's using baby signs." Karen answered. "It's a way she can still communicate with us until she learns more words. For instance, this is milk, this is eat, this is more, this is duck," Karen quickly ran through the signs Brooke had seen Anna do since she'd been here.

"And whats this one?" Brooke asked, showing the one Anna had done after Karen had picked her up.

"Actually, that was several signs. Anna was saying 'no like stranger,' to me about you." Karen said honestly.

"Oh." Brooke said, looking down.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Brooke." Karen said gently. "She doesn't know you yet, that's all. Once she gets used to you, she'll come around."

"So why'd you ask me to pick her up if you knew she would act like that around strangers?" Brooke said, confused.

"Because you aren't a stranger, and the only way she can learn that is if we treat you like you aren't one. She has to interact with you and see us be okay with it to learn that you are someone you can trust, and she can't do that if we don't give you the opportunity to do so." Karen explained.

"But I don't really know what to do." Brooke confessed.

"So you learn." Karen said simply. "And tonight's your first lesson."

Karen grabbed Brookes hand and pulled her onto the floor next to her, smiling gently all the while. "I sure hope that tops washable" was the last thing she said before turning her attention back to Anna.

"Sometimes, all you have to do is be there." Karen said in response to Anna handing Brooke a duck after several minutes of her just sitting and watching grandmother and granddaughter interact, smiling on cue and holding out her hand whenever Karen made reference to her, or encouraged Anna to 'share with Brooke'. Brooke smiled even wider than before, saying thank you to the baby, before handing the duck back to her. Anna grinned, and went back to playing. "And once you're there, and you prove you're not going anywhere, that's when they'll let you in." Brooke had a feeling she wasn't just talking about babies.

But Anna was a start. And when Karen sat Anna between the two of them on the couch as they waited for the rest of the kids to finish getting ready for bed and she didn't protest, Brooke couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, there was hope for her after all.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I never thanked you for my wedding gown." Karen said as they waited for the kids to come down. Karen had been reading to Anna, but Anna had her own plans. She took the book from Karen and began to flip the pages, preferring to read it to herself.

"I wanted to do something, even if I couldn't be there. You were more of a mom to me than my own mother, and I wanted you to know how much I appreciated that." Brooke confessed. "Your kids are lucky to have you."

Karen smiled. "Thank you, honey." She began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Brooke asked.

"Nothing, it's just, that's the same thing I told Lucas a couple of years ago." Karen said, shaking her head.

"His kids are lucky to have him?" Brooke said, confused.

"No, no, no. I told him that _my_ kids are lucky to have him." At Brookes continued look of confusion. "I should probably explain."

Brooke settled in as Karen began to speak. "You left before this happened, but before Keith and I got together, I was dating a guy named Andy, and Keith was engaged to and almost married a woman named Jules. Now, that's another story, but I ended up breaking up with Andy because I didn't want any more kids, and Andy wanted a family. Keith never married Jules, and eventually he and I got back together and had Lily." Karen smiled softly. "I love my daughter to death, but trust me when I say she was a beautiful surprise."

Karen laughed at the look on Brooke's face. "What, you think that teenagers are the only ones who can have 'accidents'?" Karen said, quoting the air.

"So anyway, here I am, pregnant and freaking out, and its Lucas who helps me see how it wasn't such a bad thing to be starting over as a mom. And he didn't stop there."

_June 20__th__, 2008_

_Lucas was sitting at the table in the kitchen as Karen fixed breakfast. Early risers, they usually had the house to themselves, with Keith, Peyton, and the kids still sleeping._

"_So when are you and Dad gonna work on giving Lily a brother or sister?" Calling Keith Dad just never got old._

"_She already has a brother." Karen said smiling, looking pointedly at Lucas._

_Lucas nodded his head, acknowledging her point. "I meant a little brother or sister, someone near her own age, you know, someone to play walkie talkies with, share secrets, that kind of thing."_

"_She can do those things with you. Or with Brody and Jamie." Karen said, transferring the eggs to a bowl and setting them on the table. _

"_With our age difference, I'm basically another parent." Lucas pointed out. "And Brody and Jamie live in Charlotte most of the year, and are only here during the summer and holidays. She needs a sibling, mom."_

_Karen lifted her brow. "As much as I love my beautiful baby girl, you do realize her arrival was an unexpected surprise?"_

"_Well, seeing as how surprises are unexpected, I guess I do." Lucas teased, ducking the dish towel Karen swung at him. _

"_You also remember that Andy and I broke up because he wanted kids and I didn't want anymore." Karen reminded him. _

"_You weren't sure you wanted more kids." Lucas clarified. "And I'm thinking that if you look closely at the reasons why, it wasn't having kids that you weren't sure about, it was having kids with Andy, because Andy wasn't Keith." _

_Lucas stood and put his hands on Karen's shoulders. "Growing up, I always wanted a little brother, and I didn't get my wish until I was almost 18 years old. None of us had siblings growing up, and only some of us were lucky enough to find a friend who could fill that void." He sighed. "It's ultimately your decision, mom, but take it from an only child. The best gift you can give Lily, besides you as a mother of course, is a sibling to go through life with that will always have her back." _

_He smirked. "Personally, I say have two more, just to even out the numbers. We need some more girls."_

"_Lucas, I'm almost 40 years old!" Karen protested.  
_

"_Well, then," Lucas said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You better get to it."_

"Not everybody is lucky enough to have a best friend like you and Peyton, and Haley and Lucas. So what he said made sense." Karen smiled. "Keith Junior was born 7 months later." She shook her head. "It turned out I didn't have a choice in the matter."

"And look at them now." Brooke mused, turning as the kids in question thundered down the stairs, arguing about who got to be Colonel Mustard.

"If you had known then how many kids Lily would have been surrounded with now, do you think you still would have had another child?" Brooke asked quietly, when the last kid headed down the stairs to the basement to set up the game.

"Knowing what I know now?" Karen thought for a moment. "Yes." Brooke arched a brow in surprise.

"There is nothing more beautiful in the world than having a child with the man you love." Karen said softly. "And I'm not ashamed to say that Lucas was right. Friends and cousins are great. But there is something different about the bond between siblings. I don't understand it, but some days I almost envy it. Either way, I'm glad I was able to give whatever it is to them."

Karen looked down, to where Anna's head had slumped on her thigh. The little girl was still occasionally turning pages, humming to herself as she struggled valiantly to stay awake. "Let's get this tyke to bed." She said, lifting Anna into her arms. "We'll have plenty of time to talk later."

On one hand, Brooke agreed with Lucas' assertion that siblings were a gift any person would be lucky to have. But as she watched Lily, KJ, and Andre join Brody and William in singing Anna to sleep, she couldn't help but think that having cousins like those wasn't so bad either.

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Don't be scared by the question, but I need your help again. I figure this is the only way I can get your input on the story, by asking you questions way in advance.

If someone from the Scott family was in the hospital, what songs would Peyton or Lucas (give me both cause I cant tell you who its gonna be) play in their ear to save them? And before you ask, I will not be giving spoilers. I will tell you its for a flashback, so the horror does have a happy ending. And I already have LaRocca's nonbeliever, the song Peyton played in 4.11, I just need more songs telling the person to hold on to life, dont let go, that kind of thing, but I dont listen to rock like that so I have no idea what songs have good lyrics!

Dont forget to review about the chapter too! I know, Im greedy, but long reviews feed my muse.

Leyton scene next chapter guys. Have we had one of those yet? ;)


	11. Quality Time

A/N: A Leyton scene and a long chapter?!?! I spoil you guys! 8 pages of family goodness, comin right up! Italics are song lyrics from Tyrese Have I told you I love you. I love that song. Check it out.

stagediva- I didnt get to you last chapter, but yea, Brody is a little cool towards Brooke because he didnt think about Brooke hurting Peyton before, but since Jamie brought it up, its made him a little less on her side. But dont worry, it doesnt last, because he also remembers what Andre said about being nice to her so she doesnt have a reason to leave. And you will see flashbacks of Brooke's life, which will make it easier to understand where she's coming from. Its just going to be awhile, since the flashbacks are entire chapters, and I havent even flashbacked to Leyton's life yet. Its a tightrope, but I think Im walking it pretty well so far (at least where I am, ten chapters ahead of you guys)

LPfan4ever- PMs are great, so when you think of the songs, go ahead and send them to me!

haylee- You find out Anna's story around chapter 17. I have a present day story and a flashback story all about Tink!

lalez- Exactly right about Karen. Brooke needs another friend besides Peyton, and it gets Brooke out of the house too. Karen is a little instigator, as you will soon see.

grayfan- I come from a huge family where blood is not always the common link. I only have one brother, but I have a godsister, close friends were always considered family (went on trips, came to dinner, etc), and my dad was one of 4 so I have mad cousins. So yeah, I am writing from experience with the random kids coming over and this current chapter here.

crazyjan- Im working on LLLF. My life is hectic right now, and these updates are prewritten, which is why I can post RBD. I have to find time to sit down and write LLLF's next chapter, which is why I am never doing 'write as you go' again after LLLF is done, and why you havent seen a ud. But dont worry, I havent forgotten it.

aln213- ytou will see some Leyton in this chapter, and later on in the flashbacks. It is heavy Brooke because she is the one who's dropped into their lives. Further it becomes a little more equal between the Scotts and B Davis.

Kelsey- Im looking for a song for a near death, fighting for life scene. And Ill check it out sometime this week when I have time.

Kathiria- Tink is both picking up on Lucas' vibe, and she is a two year old, so all strangers are suspect. Im sorry you think the fic is kid heavy, but I write kid heavy fics, so they do get equal playing time in the chapters. As much as it would be nice to see adults only scenes all the time, the reality is, when you have kids, there's always one interrupting somewhere, unless you're callin a babysitter and goin out. Which is not often. But Ive managed to slip some in as we go, and there are a couple in this chapter!

LPS- you'll find out more about Tink's everything around chapter 17. Yeah, itll be interesting to see Peytons birthday because you never hear about it on the show. Its like the only person who had a birthday was Brooke!_______________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 10 Quality Time

July 8th, 2 am.

"_Have I told you I loooove you-u-u!"_

"Shhhh! People are sleeping!"

"_Have I told you you still mean the world toooo me-e-e!"_

"Peyton, be quiet!"

"_Have I told you I love you, I'll be your wishing well tell me what you want- oh yea baby."_ The last stanza found Lucas pinned up against the front door, a decidedly tipsy, very amorous Peyton plastered against him as she sang to him to tell her what he wanted, her eyes sultry as they bore into his.

Not that he minded. In fact, in a couple more minutes, he would not just be telling her, he would be showing her exactly what he had on his mind. But before that, they had to make it in the house and past his…

The porch light winked on as the front door swung open, causing Lucas to lose his balance. He managed to catch both he and Peyton before they hit the ground, thanks to the fact that he held off on libations to make sure they got home safely (and to fully enjoy the benefits that arose when his wife and mojitos joined together).

"Hey Mom." Lucas said, fully chastised from the look his mother gave him from the foyer.

"Hi, Mom." Peyton said, grinning.

"You do realize there are multiple children of all ages that could have been awakened by your shenanigans." Karen said, hands on her hips. "Not to mention the adults that are trying to sleep here?"

A hand materialized over the couch and waved from the pull out bed.

Peyton waved back at Keith enthusiastically. Lucas smacked his hand against his forehead and grabbed Peyton around the waist. "You're right, we're sorry, and it won't happen again." Lucas said, making his way up the stairs with Peyton before she could say or do something else that would get them both in trouble. He chuckled at the thought. Here he was, 27 years old and the father of three, still scared of his own mother.

"Shhhh! People are sleeping!" Peyton whispered loudly at his chuckle.

They made it to their room without incident, and Lucas closed the door in relief. "Ok, all clear. Now you…" He didn't have a chance to finish his statement as he was pulled over to the bed and pushed down, bouncing a little before the weight of his wife came to rest on top of him. He lifted himself onto his elbows and smiled warmly into the luminous green eyes that stared back at him.

"…were saying?" Lucas said, grinning as in response, she began singing to him again, slowly unbuttoning his shirt and pressing kisses to his face, neck, and chest. God Bless mojitos.

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It was much later they lay intertwined, clothes scattered around the room, Peyton's head resting on Lucas' shoulder as she doodled on his chest with the tip of her finger, his hand stoking absentmindedly through her hair. She pressed a kiss to his chest and smiled as he pulled her tightly in a half hug. "Did I say thank you for tonight?" She murmured.

"Oh, I think so." Lucas mused, "but you can definitely repeat what you've done in the past 20 minutes if you want to say it again." He laughed as she smacked his chest playfully.

"I'm serious." Peyton said, leaning up and resting on her elbows, looking down on him seriously. "Concert tickets to the Cure reunion tour, being nicer to Brooke. It means a lot, the things you do for me."

"Yeah," Lucas stretched, putting his hands behind his head. "Because you do know how much I hate…" She raised her hand threateningly. "The Cure! The Cure." He finished hurriedly, then cringed as she smacked him anyway.

"I didn't say Brooke!" he protested, rubbing his chest.

She raised a brow. "Babe, there was no way you weren't gonna get smacked either way you finished that sentence."

She tenderly kissed the spot she had just abused. "But I know you don't like the Cure, or Brooke, and that just makes it all the more special."

"I just don't want you to get hurt." He confessed, running his hands through her hair.

"I know, and I love you for it." Peyton said. "And that's a risk I'm taking, I know. I'm not as naive as you guys think I am. But she was my _best friend_ Luke. And believe it or not, I'm letting her back in because that's what you taught me to do." He looked at her, puzzled.

"When Haley came back, you were there for her, and supported her when no one else would. And at the time I didn't understand it but I get it now. You knew who she was at her core, and you were trusting that the tour didn't change that. And it turned out you were right." Peyton shrugged.

"Now its my best friend who's come home and its my turn to show support that you did. And I have to trust that somewhere inside her there is still the girl who was there for me when my mom died, who built snow forts and held me when I cried and made me burnt cookies to help me feel better. And its even more important for Brooke because I am the only person who knew that girl existed to begin with, so if _I_ give up on her, there's no hope left for her." Peyton had sat up by this time, earnestly trying to help Lucas understand her behavior, when at times she didn't understand it herself.

"You know," Lucas said thoughtfully, after a moment. "That speech was _awfully_ coherent for someone who had one too many mojitos."

Peyton leaned back over him, grinning. "Maybe that's because half the mojitos you bought me ended up with the guy at the end of the bar?" She smirked. "You're not the only one who has fun when me and mojitos get together to create what I like to call 'the Mojeyton."

She shrieked softly as Lucas rolled, trapping her beneath him as he retaliated by tickling her sides, and soon their play turned to love as they both continued to enjoy the effects of the 'Mojeyton' mix.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunday was a lazy day, with breakfast being more like brunch by the time everyone made it downstairs. It was by unanimous vote that the kids decided the day would be filled with watching the Aladdin trilogy, Lily bribing Keith with kisses and KJ hugging Karen and telling her she would be the best mom ever if she let them stay and watch the 3 movies in succession.

Sighs were heaved as the adults of the group pretended to reluctantly agree, but as Brody and Lily set up the living room for the viewing, Lucas used the opportunity to call Nathan and invite his brood over as well, so the adults could have their own playtime. The sight of Jamie walking through the door caused Andre and Brody to crow with delight, and Scooter to run and grab Brian by the hand, pulling him over to the prized Tomater bean bag chair he had dragged from his room, so that they could share.

Jenny, who had been picked up by Haley on the way over to give Jake some time alone with his wife, made her way to the couch to wait for Lily, who had been pulled aside by Peyton to remind her to bring Anna downstairs if she became too much to handle. Lucas stood in front of the tv, reminding the crew to send someone down to get them after the first movie was over to refill the snacks. The rest of the adults had made their way downstairs to the playroom.

By the time Brooke hit the bottom step, Nathan was drawing a tournament grid on a previously unnoticed chalkboard while Haley hugged him from behind and whispered in his ear, causing him to chuckle as he placed the names in the brackets. Karen was at the pool table, practicing her shot, while Keith leaned behind her, 'showing her' how best to hit the ball.

She sat on the couch, watching the couples interact. She nodded to Nathan's casual, "Brooke, you in?" happy to be included, but figuring she'd ask Peyton for the rules when she came downstairs, so as not to remind anyone that she didn't belong and have the invitation rescinded.

Peyton and Lucas eventually made their way downstairs, carrying pitchers of mixed drinks and cups.

"Mojeyton's? I mean, Mojito's anyone?" Lucas said, smirking, dodging Peyton's smack as he laughed and placed the pitchers on a side table, leaving room for Peyton to place the cups down.

"I don't know," Karen joked. "Are they gonna make me serenade people at 2 in the morning?" She raised a brow at Peyton, causing Peyton to duck her head as Nathan and Haley stared wide eyed. "Oooooooo" they taunted. "Looks like somebody got in tro-uble!"

"Ok, ok" Keith said, ever the peacemaker, "let's just start the game. Lucas, you and Nathan are up first?"

"As always." Lucas said, grabbing a stick off the wall.

Nathan finished the brackets. "Hold on guys. We've got a problem. We've got an odd number of players, and we need an even number."

"That's ok. That just mean Brooke's out." At a glance from Peyton, he added an 'unfortunately," to the end.

"That's okay," Brooke said, resigned. She had a feeling the inclusion wouldn't last long.

"No, no, we can figure this out." Peyton said. Walking over to the scoreboard, she looked it over. "Hey Nate, can't we give Brooke a bye, and that way she can play the winner of Karen and Keith's game?"

"That works. That'll even out the sides too. High five, lil sis!"

They slapped fives and Peyton walked over to the couch, slapping Haley on the butt as she strode by. It jolted Brooke to see Peyton use what she considered Peyton's signature move for her on someone else, yet another right she forfeited the day she left.

She managed a smile for Peyton as she plopped down next to her on the couch. They watched the boys in silence for a while, listening to them talk trash as Haley cheered for Nathan on a bar stool, and Karen and Keith encouraged Lucas from the other couch.

"So, I know its probably been a lot to take in." Peyton said, turning to Brooke. She patted her on the leg. "How you holdin' up?"

"I'm okay." Brooke said, nodding as if the physical affirmation would make it true.

"Karen offered me a job." Brooke added, trying to change the subject. She didn't want to dump on Peyton about how much Lucas' rejection and Brody's disinterest was affecting her. "She said she was glad I came back."

"Well, that's cool. You know, it's okay if you need some time to just regroup. Lucas and I don't expect you to start kicking out rent until the _second_ week you're back." Peyton teased.

"Maybe _you_ don't." Brooke amended, unable to help it.

Peyton sat in silence, with nothing to say, because Brooke was right. Lucas would prefer it if Brooke was earning her keep, but it was more because he wanted her out of the house, and that wouldn't happen until she was back on her feet.

"I know you don't believe it, but Luke'll come around. It's just hard for him when the shoe is on the other foot." Peyton finally said. At Brooke's look of confusion, Peyton explained. "Right after you left junior year, Haley also left, to go on tour. She was a lot like you- she didn't call, she didn't write, she didn't let anyone know where she was going. The only difference was, she was gone a couple of months, not 10 years, and with her we had an idea because she had been toying around with the offer to be the opening act for the Wreckers, with Chris Keller."

"Someone you also don't know." Peyton added. "Moving on. So when she came back, I was pretty horrible to her and so was Nathan, because she just came waltzing back expecting things to be the same, you know?"

"You know." Peyton said, once again realizing who she was talking to. "Anyway, Lucas was the only one who accepted her back without question, with nothing more chastising than a ""you home for good?"", or something like that. It took a little while longer for me and Nathan to come around, basically to trust that she wasn't going to pull another stunt like that again, but through it all it was Lucas who kept telling us to cut her some slack, defending her the entire time."

"Hard to believe." Brooke said.

"Not so hard to believe. Because Haley was his best friend. Just like you were mine." Peyton said. Brooke tried not to let it hurt that Peyton used past tense, but that was her own fault. "So right now, Haley's Nathan, and Lucas is me, or is Lucas Nathan and Haley me? Well, either way, you see how that story ended." Peyton patted her knee, offering parting words as she stood. "Just take it one day at a time; believe it or not, it's all happening because they care. Once you prove that you're staying no matter what they throw at you, they'll come around. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to congratulate the winner."

Peyton sashayed over and laid a smooch on her husband, laughing as he bent her over the pool table and began to teasingly nibble at her neck.

Brooke stared, surprised as Nathan collapsed onto the couch next to her, shaking his head. "Better luck next time?" she offered.

Nathan looked over at her. "If you play him, feel free to beat him like he stole something."

Brooke laughed. "For you or for me?"

"Either way works," he said after a moment of thinking, holding out his hand. Brooke grinned as they shook on it then turned to watch Peyton and Haley set up.

They sat in silence for a while, before Brooke decided to test the waters. So far Nathan had been superficially welcoming, but how deep did it go?

"Sooo, what's with the 'lil sis' comment?" Brooke said, swinging a nod towards Peyton.

Nathan began to laugh. "Well, when Haley and I got married, Lucas became BIL, and Haley was SIL, you know, brother and sister in law? So when Luke and Peyt got married, we felt we didn't need the in-law part, so we took it out." Nathan shrugged. "I always wanted a little sister anyway, and since at the time Lucas wouldn't share Lily, Peyton said she'd be my little sister, especially since you can never have too many brothers."

"But Peyton doesn't have any brothers." Brooke reminded Nathan.

"Actually, she does." Nathan said. "You weren't here for that whole drama, but it turns out Peyton was adopted."

"I know that part, I listened to the podcasts." Brooke interrupted.

"Oh." Nathan paused, then continued. "Well, then you know about Ellie, her birth mother." Brooke nodded. "Well, it turns out her birth father had a son before he met Ellie, which meant that Peyton had a brother on her biological father's side."

"Did she ever meet them?"

"Her brother, or her father?"

"Both."

Nathan catcalled to his wife as she sank a particularly hard shot, before turning back to Brooke. "Yeah, eventually. Her father turned out to be an ass, but her brother's pretty cool. He's a marine, which means he's gone most of the time. But you'll probably meet him before the end of the summer. He and his crew swing through here for at least a week during the summer when they're stateside."

Nathan stood, then turned back to Brooke. "Peyton'll catch you up. Just ask her about it." Nathan said before going to comfort his wife, who lost by one ball to Peyton, who was in the corner high fiving her husband.

It turned out that Brooke was destined to sit alone for a while, since Peyton sat between her husband's legs on the bar stool and Nathan and Haley retired to the couch Karen and Keith just vacated. It also turned out that the tournament was actually best 2 out of 3, so it was a while before Brooke had the excuse to get up and play the game. Halfway through Lucas and Nathan's second game, Haley had trumped up some reason to occupy Peyton's time and attention (in Brooke's opinion), so Brooke slipped out and made her way to the kitchen to 'get a glass of water.'

In truth, she was tired of sitting on the couch feeling like a fifth wheel, or was it seventh? Either way, the trip to the kitchen broke up the monotony of watching the couples interact around her.

She glanced in the living room, smiling at the sight of the kids enraptured by the sight of Aladdin and Jasmine flying on a magic carpet. She remembered when it was she and Peyton doing much the same thing, munching on popcorn and running a commentary.

_September 18__th__, 1997_

"_I don't care that he has a magic carpet. He's poor, and I'm a princess. We can fly around on his little carpet a couple of times, but we can't get married." Brooke said, popping a kernel in her mouth haughtily. _

"_I'd rather take Aladdin than a stuffy ol' prince. He's nice, he's handsome, and he loves Jasmine for who she is." Peyton said, hugging her pillow to her chest. Then she grinned. "Plus he has a magic carpet and a talking monkey!"_

"_Yeah, he's cute, until the carpet drops you off at his windowless, roofless, house with no furniture." Brooke scoffed._

"_I'd rather be there with someone who loved me than at the palace trapped like those birds in the cages." Peyton shot back. _

_They glared at each other for a moment before collapsing into giggles. "We can both be right." Brooke said. "I'll marry my prince, and you can marry your poor man. And when you and Aladdin and his talking monkey and magic carpet finish flying around the world, you guys can come stay with me and my prince in the palace. 'Cause there's no point in being rich if you cant help your best friend when they're married to a guy that has no job and no home."_

That was a long time ago, before life had taught Peyton there weren't always happily ever afters and Brooke had learned that princes wanted to marry princesses for their money too.

Watching Lily and Jenny giggle and the boys cover their eyes at the mushy scene between Aladdin and Jasmine, Brooke smiled sadly, thinking about how close she and Peyton had been, and wishing they were there again. She hoped that life treated the new generation a little better than it had Peyton and Brooke at their age. It didn't take long for her to realize as she compared the image of the 9 kids sitting around the tv to the memory of Peyton and Brooke watching it alone; maybe it already had.

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How'd you like the young Breyton flashback? Want more?

Before you guys get all, 'But she did talk about her brother in the podcasts!' In this fic she didn't- she talked to her friends. I didn't have her tell the podcasts about Derek, because I didn't want a psychoderek arc, and she stopped the podcasts after she made Brody's website, which was mostly pics and comic strips.


	12. Just Another Manic Monday

A/N: Wow guys. Another 10 pages. Maybe this is the new chapter length? Prob not, but they are great when they come, aren't they? You guys are reviewing awesomely! I love how not everybody likes all the characters actions! As long as you keep reading, disagree with me, its all good! I love to hear your opinions, and it sometimes makes me go back and add explanations where rationales aren't crystal clear. Its like interactive storytime!

Jonas- That is a good request! And its funny- Ive written dozens of pairings, and those two don't often come up together. And almost never alone. But for you, I will figure one out, because in the flashbacks they have moments, but I don't always write out the scenes. Its hard, because Peyton lost Brooke but gained Lucas within the same year, so while Haley has been there, Lucas really took Brooke's spot for the majority of all best friend roles.

Chocolatemud- more Breyton scenes. Got it.

Ghostwriter- You don't write things I can respond to, but every once in a while, Im gonna give you a holler anyway, cause I appreciate your consistent review. Holla!

Firestarterchik- You know Ive got to give Brookie Cookie a love interest, and I think that Julian might find his way to tree hill to make a movie around chapter 25 or so… maybe Brooke can use that to finally get out of Lucas' house…I hope I didn't spoil anything for anybody… :)

And, in this fic, Julian wont have belonged to Peyton, so it will be totally clean! Maybe Lucas will even like Julian since he doesn't have to hate him for being in love with Peyton. *innocent look*

Mcgirl- drama for you, comin right up!

Stagediva- if you want, I can slow down the ud's for you. Jk. I love Brulian too, and so I say see Firestarterchik's message. Brookes new job is explained this chapter.

AnnOTH- don't hurt anything (laughing so hard)! :)

Crazyjan- Good. Feel bad for Brooke, because I don't know if that feelings gonna last long.

A-dono- Good call. I don't think she's leaving again, but if she does, you can bet shes gonna keep in touch!

Kathiria- you called it!

Misshay- what was the story called? I wouldn't mind reading it. I love Karen as a mother (except in season 4 when she told Lucas it was his fault Keith died, and when she believed Dan over him), but thats okay, cause even superwoman makes mistakes. Autistic would be a good choice, except you have already seen her easy attachment to others, her animation, and her unprompted interactions with others. So no autism.

Bkworm- Tell me next time when you are going out of town so I can wait until you get back to post. How you gonna ask me for an extra update and you weren't gonna be in town?!?! :) Its all good. You did appropriately review both chapters! BTW good call with Brooke. The little interaction shes had with kids have not been pleasant.

Wonderwoman- eventually Victoria will make her way back into the fic :(

Jamy- Haley is Peyton's best female friend now yes! Im glad you see that now too, like brooke does

SKittlebox- very true! Lucas always got the brunt of Karens anger, but also her love. That's why I could have her flip out in AFB, because I'd seen her do so in OTH. My nephew is 3 and he loves his rubber ducks too. Its how I get him to take a bath without fussing, cause he can only play with them in the tub. Derek will be showing up soon, he comes to visit every summer!

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Chapter 11 Just Another Manic Monday

July 9th, 2016

Monday morning dawned bright and early, and Brooke followed the smell of coffee up the stairs to the kitchen, where to her surprise, Peyton and Anna were the only two present.

"Good morning." Brooke said to the room, as she walked over to the coffeemaker to pour herself a cup. Casually, she went over to the table and sat down at the table next to Anna, smiling gently at the baby before turning her attention back to Peyton. "Where's the rest of the crew?"

Peyton laughed, grabbing her cup of coffee and joining Brooke at the table. "It's Monday. Those slugs are still in bed. Only the sugar mama has to work today."

"And the freeloader." Brooke said, self-deprecatingly.

Peyton frowned. "Hey. Its bad enough Lucas is always making those comments. I don't want to hear them from you too. You are not freeloading 'cause you are with family. There's a difference."

"Oh?" Brooke said, falling back into her old rhythm of banter. Apparently some things you never forgot. "And what is the difference exactly?

Peyton sat, stumped for a moment, before she grinned. "Other people freeload. You're…recuperating."

"Recuperating." Brooke repeated, before smiling. "I like it." She was interrupted by Anna banging on her tray. Brooke looked over, and saw her motioning with her hands.

"Well, sweetpea, I only got a quick run through last night, so I might be wrong, but Im guessing since your tray is empty you want more cheerios."

Brooke grabbed the box from the table and poured some on the baby's tray, receiving a giant smile for her efforts. Peyton chuckled in her coffee as Brooke smiled back at the baby, quickly covering it up when Brooke turned back towards her. Babies should wear a sign 'Will trade smiles for food.' It was like clockwork. And apparently not just for babies.

"So, oh wonderful cook I didn't know about. What's for breakfast?" Brooke said.

"Oh you are in for a treat! We're having eggs, sausage, and toast, with some homemade jam!" Peyton said enthusiastically, her exaggerated facial expression causing Anna to giggle.

Brooke looked around, confused. "But I don't smell anything."

"I know," Peyton said, grinning as she made her way to the sink and placed her empty mug there. "'Cause you're the one who's gonna make it."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Ok so you got me," Brooke said, as they finished eating.

Peyton burst into laughter. "You should have seen your face!"

"You should have taken a picture, Peyt, so I could have seen it too." Karen said, standing up to clear away the dishes from the table. "I'm sure it was priceless."

And it was.

_Brooke sat there, her mouth open so wide that Anna leaned over and offered her a cheerio, thinking she was asking for one. Brooke took the soggy cheerio in her hand, thanking the baby absentmindedly as she wracked her brain on how to explain to Peyton how she hadn't had to cook a day in her life and wouldn't know where the eggs were, much less how to cook them. _

_Peyton chuckled. "Relax," she said, cleaning off Anna's place and wiping the baby's face, cooing as Anna fought the towel, then beamed when Peyton exclaimed over how pretty she was with a crumb-free face. "I was just messing with you. Since I'm dropping you off at Karen's this morning, and Karen's putting you to work…Anyway, I figured the three of us could have breakfast there."_

"_Oh." Brooke said. She crossed her legs. "I knew that."_

"_Da?" Anna said as Peyton began to lift her out of the high chair. _

"_Yes, I'm taking you to Daddy, so you can lay down with him okay? Peyton said, smiling as Anna nodded eagerly. _

_Peyton put Anna on her hip and told her to wave bye bye to Brooke, and Brooke smiled broadly when the little girl did. It looked like Karen was right: Anna was warming up to her, it just took a little time. _

_Peyton made her way upstairs with Anna in tow, and entered the master bedroom, tiptoeing over to the bed where Lucas lay sprawled facedown in the middle of the bed. "Love you baby girl." Peyton whispered, kissing Anna's hair before laying her down next to Lucas' stomach, smiling as he turned to his side and pulled the baby to his chest, draping his arm around her as Anna snuggled close and closed her eyes. Peyton's fingers itched for a pencil, as they did every time she saw this pose, but if she drew every scene that tugged her heart with those two, she'd be drawing for the rest of her life._

"_Hey Peyt?" Lucas mumbled, his voice thickened by sleep. _

_She turned back toward the bed. "Yes," she said softly._

"_You forgot something." He grumbled. _

_Smiling, she made her way back to the bed. "I love you too, you big baby." She said, pressing a kiss on the lips of his upturned face. She shook her head, taking note that throughout it all he still had yet to open his eyes. "What am I gonna do with you?" she said softly, running a hand through his hair. _

_Lucas smirked, eyes still tightly shut. "Nothing, cause you have to go to work." He dropped his head back onto the pillow. "I love you too." The end was slurred as he drifted back off to sleep, but Peyton knew what was said. This was not the first time they had played out this scenario. _

_Peyton made her way downstairs and collected Brooke, heading off to Karen's café. _

"Changing the subject." Brooke sniffed. "How exactly is the Comet still running after 10 years?"

Peyton pretended to think. "Umm, I'm married to a mechanic who has _very _fond memories of that car?"

Karen cleared her throat, "Mom in the room."

Peyton looked over sheepishly. "Sorry Karen. How about, my father in law owns a body shop?"

Karen nodded. "Much better."

Brooke smiled at the banter between the two. She was so happy for Peyton- it seemed that her 'third mother' was truly the charm. She wondered if Peyton herself knew how blessed she was to have had not one, but two extra opportunities to experience the mother-daughter relationship they had both dreamed about as teenagers.

"Alright, ladies!" Peyton clapped her hands together and stood up. "I have to go to work, and do work things, so I leave you to the madness!"

"Hey Peyton?" Brooke asked hesitantly, stopping Peyton in her quest to leave. "This was nice."

"Yeah, it was." Peyton agreed absentmindedly as she gathered up her belongings.

"I was wondering, if maybe, we could do this again sometime? And maybe, you could, catch me up on some of the things I've missed?" She glanced at Karen, who smiled encouragingly. "Karen was telling me stories last night, and I was thinking, if you didn't mind, when you're not busy, you could do the same."

Peyton smiled. "I'd like that." Nodding to Brooke and blowing a kiss to Karen, she swept out of the door and went off to work.

Brooke watched her go, starting when she felt Karen's hands on her shoulder. She swore she had been touched more times in the past week than she had been in 10 years with her mother in California and later, New York.

"Let me show you around." Karen said with an understanding smile on her face, guiding her from the table and getting her ready for her first day at work.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Her first day at work was great. Brooke suspected that Karen didn't need the help, but she was grateful nonetheless for something to do that would get her out of the house. Karen told her to just be her shadow for the day and observe the workings of the café, so Brooke spent most of her time there sitting at the counter talking with Karen, who didn't really do anything either since she had servers and dishwashers galore, high school kids who were grateful for the opportunity to work in an atmosphere run by a woman who understood life's tough situations. Like Ryan, who was basically supporting his younger siblings off his meager earnings since his mother tended to drink her paycheck away. And Samantha, a teenage mother who brought her precious 8 month old, Angie, to work with her.

Angie was a baby who liked everybody, including Brooke, as she found out when Karen was playing with her and a crash resounded in the kitchen, causing Karen to drop the baby in Brooke's lap and hurry off to see what had happened. Brooke sat there awkwardly, bracing herself for the inevitable tantrum, but the baby just smiled at her, and reached in awe at the dangly earrings. So Brooke was riding a high as she entered into the house, following more slowly after Peyton, who had bounded up the stairs to say hello to her offspring.

Smiling, Brooke sat on the couch and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. It had been a good day. Anna shared a cheerio, Angie didn't scream when Brooke touched her, she had a great breakfast with Peyton and Karen, the interaction with Peyton making it almost seem like they were friends…

"Wow! One day at a real job and you are already wiped out? And I bet my mom didn't make you do more than sit at the counter and 'observe.'"

Brooke opened her eyes to see Lucas standing there glancing coolly down at her.

"Actually, I had a great day at work, thanks for asking." Brooke responded sarcastically, buoyed by the progress she had made in less than a week. "And to think I thought you were starting to be nice to me?"

"You're still staying in my house, and eating at my table aren't you?" Lucas fired back. "Interacting with my kids? How much nicer do you want me to be Brooke?" Lucas questioned.

Brooke sighed. "I don't understand why you can't let this go, Lucas."

Lucas' eyes widened. "You don't…you don't understand why I cant let it go?!?!" he said incredulously.

Striding over to a bookcase, he looked quickly for something, before pulling out a beautiful green photo album.

He walked over to the table, and gestured for Brooke to come over. "I tell you what. I'll let everything go, and we can go back to being the friends we were, or almost were when you left, as soon as you give me a few things."

Flipping the book open, he landed on the first page, a picture of Peyton with a look of consternation on her face as her pants wouldn't pull all the way closed. An arrow pointed to the barely discernable baby bump, and it read, 'William's first picture'. He turned to another page where the first ultrasound held a place of honor, and another page where the baby in the ultrasound was just a bit bigger, the title reading, 'It's a boy!' Quickly he flipped through the book, stopping at pictures of Lucas pressing a kiss to Peyton's gigantic belly, the two of them holding their hands on Peyton's belly with the caption, 'USA's next greatest soccer player', and others like it until he finally rested on a tired but beaming Peyton holding her newborn son at the camera, with the caption reading, 'Welcome to the world, William Nathan Scott.'

"Where are Brody's baby pictures Brooke? Where does he get to see how excited his parents were about the fact that he was coming into this world? Where are his ultrasound pictures?" Lucas' eyes hardened. "You can't give them to me, can you? Because those things didn't matter to you. All you cared about was making sure your precious reputation wasn't ruined. Even after you knew that I would be there for you."

He held up a hand as she began to protest. "And don't try and blame it on the fact that we weren't together, because when you first told me you were pregnant, I told you I would stick by you and the baby, and you lied to me and left anyway." He pounded the book with his finger. "I can't get that back, Brooke! You can't take back the fact that his 9 months growing and first two weeks in this world are forever lost me. So _forgive_ me if I cant forgive you for it."

Brooke was silent during his tirade. She looked through William's book slowly before asking quietly to see Brody's. Still seething, Lucas went over to the bookshelf and passed her the black, blue and white photo album, watching as she took it and laid it on the table next to Williams. She took a moment, looking through the pictures of baby Brody with the various people in his life, watching as he grew up through to the first year.

About halfway through, she stopped, the number of pictures so great that she had only reached the 6 month mark. She nodded her head slowly. "You're right Lucas. I did take from you the experience of him growing inside me. But you're kidding yourself if you think his book would still have looked the same as William's. Because we weren't in love!" She reminded him forcefully.

"You wouldn't have been kissing my belly, or taking cute pictures of me half naked. We were 17 years old Luke! You and Peyton were almost 21 and already had a child by the time William came along! So don't even begin to compare it!"

She continued on, heating up as she began to argue her case. "And yes, I am sorry I can't give you the ultrasound pictures. And Im sorry I never ordered the nursery package so that Brody could have a picture of himself in the hospital. I was too busy making sure my mother couldn't find me and give Brody to the adoptive family she had all picked out. But that's beside the point, because you're right, I cant give any of those things back to you."

She turned to him, eyes flashing. "But lets make one thing perfectly clear, since you seem to forget what it is that I did give you. _Every. Single. Moment_. Every single moment you have had with Brody from two weeks until today, I gave to you."

She picked up Brody's baby book, forcing it into his hands. "The fact that you can even make a book about your first born son is thanks to me. You talk about me being selfish. Was I selfish when I didn't get an abortion Lucas? Was I being selfish when I carried a baby that changed my figure, almost changed my life and caused me to leave my best friend behind, so that you could have your precious son?" She began to pace. "We all know I wasn't interested in kids back then. But I carried that boy for 9 months for _you_, and came across country to give _you_ the son that you practically asked me not to get rid of, so don't you _ever_ tell me you can't forgive me for what I did! Because what I _did_, was give you a baby that, had I aborted or adopted out, which was _my_ original plan by the way, you would _never_ have known about otherwise!"

They both turned around, shocked and in horror at the voice behind them that interrupted their argument. "You didn't want me?" Brody said brokenly, tears streaming down his face. Brooke heart dropped to the bottom of her chest as Luke called out to him, "Brody, wait!" as he turned around and ran back up the stairs.

Brooke turned, stricken, to Lucas. "I didn't mean…I didn't know he was there…I would have never…"

"Its not your fault." Lucas interrupted, sighing, shoulders slumping. "It's mine." He shook his head. "I couldn't let it go. And now Brody's the one paying for it."

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Peyton was startled as Brody streaked by her, slamming his door. She caught sight of the tears that had been streaming down his face and dropped the laundry basket, alarmed. Making her way to his room, she knocked on the door and asked to come in, ignoring the whimpered "Go away!" and opening the door anyway.

Sitting down on the bottom of the bunk Brody had thrown himself across of, too upset to crawl up to his loft bed, Peyton began to rub his back soothingly. "Now you know I'm not going anywhere, especially since my first-loved son is so upset. What's going on?"

Brody couldn't help but smile into the pillow at her words, but the words also triggered another round of fresh tears. His mother loved him so much- why couldn't his birth mom do the same? He was sobbing so hard he couldn't speak, and the attempt of it had him looking like a fish stuck on dry land, gasping for breath as the emotions tore through his chest.

"Okay, okay. Don't speak. Just let it go." Peyton said, maneuvering them both until she was resting half upright on the pillows, Brody's head pillowed now by her chest as he gripped her tightly and sobbed in earnest. She gently stroked his back, crooning at him to let it out, silently shooing Lucas away as he stuck his head in the room.

Slowly his tears began to calm, and his breathing slowed. Peyton continue to soothe him, her hands having made her way to his hair, running her fingers over his scalp, a testimony to how truly upset he was that he let her, never once worrying about her fingers messing up his hair.

"I wish she never came back." Brody mumbled into Peyton's chest.

"Who, baby?" Peyton said, before thinking about it. But there was only one newcomer in their group. "Brooke?" Peyton asked. Brody nodded.

"Oh baby, I know everything's crazy right now. But give it time; it'll settle down." Peyton soothed.

Brody shook his head and Peyton inwardly sighed. With two stubborn biological parents and a stubborn stepmom, why was she really expecting anything else? She was jolted out of her musings by his painful whisper.

"Why didn't she want me, Momma?"

Peyton immediately tensed; raising his head gently with her finger under his chin, she asked gently but firmly, "Where did you hear that Brooke didn't want you?"

"I heard her when she said it to daddy. She said that if it wasn't for him, she would have gotten rid of me, or given me away." He looked at her accusingly. "You always said that she gave me to you and dad cause she loved me and wanted what was best for me. And that was a lie! She gave me to you because _she_ didn't want me at all!"

Peyton heart broke as she stared into her son's eyes, brilliant with the tears that continued to fall down his face, the vivid blue a trademark of the Scott boy she loved more than anything in the world. She would never think about it seriously, because to do so would be to admit that he was in fact the Scott she referred to, this little boy who had given her everything, and who was the very best mixture of all of them: herself, the love of her life, and her best friend.

"Oh baby." Peyton gathered him close, rocking him gently back and forth. "You just learned your first lesson today. Well, maybe two. And Im so sorry they had to come so hard." He looked up at her, confused.

"The first lesson is, people who eavesdrop when they hear their name never hear anything good follow it." She tapped his nose as she spoke, placing a finger over his lips as he began to protest. "And the second lesson is, never believe all of what's said in anger." She tried to explain the adult concept to the almost 10 year old boy.

"Brooke said those things because she was angry at your daddy, and probably because she thought about them at one time."

Peyton sighed. "I know this might not make sense to you, but I'm gonna try to explain anyway. Brooke was just 17 when she got pregnant with you, and she and your dad weren't together, and she had horrible parents. Imagine if you were an only child, and me and daddy never talked to you, or did anything with you, and didn't even live with you, but every time we did see you, we just talked about how horrible you were and how much you ruined our lives."

"That doesn't sound to cool, does it?" Brody shook his head, eyes wide as he leveled them on Peyton, doing his best to understand, and trusting that something in Peyton's words would make the pain go away.

"Maybe Brooke did think about those things, but that's because her parents were trying to convince her that was the best thing for her to do. And maybe she thought about it too, because she didn't want you to have to grow up in that cold house with those cold people, without a daddy all the time, because they weren't together, and having the feeling you're having right now, everyday."

"That would suck." Brody said without thinking.

Peyton nodded agreeing. "That _would_ suck. And that's exactly why Brooke thought what she did. Because she wanted to save you from that. But you know what? She did something even better." Peyton tapped his nose again, a nose he had gotten from his father and made all his own. "She loved you so much that she gave you to me, and to your daddy, who she knew would love you and treat you right, and do our best to never make you feel like you did today. Don't worry about what she said in anger, because you can tell how much she loved you by looking at everything she gave you, Brody. Because she didn't get rid of you, and she gave you to me so you could have a daddy, and a grandma and grandpa who love you and don't make you feel bad everyday, and brothers and sisters, and aunts and uncles and cousins…"

"And I get to live here instead of LA" Brody added.

Peyton chuckled. "That's true, if you think that's a plus."

"And I have the best mom in the world." Brody added quietly.

"Only 'cause I have such good stuff to work with." Peyton said, as she always did whenever he told her that. She hugged him tightly. "Brooke loved you the best way she knew how, kiddo. You can be mad at her thoughts, but never her actions.

She continued to rock slowly, as a memory came to mind. She began to speak out loud. ""I looked into his blue eyes when he was born and fell in love. I would do anything for him, and right now, that means giving him to a dad whose gonna love him with everything he has, and care for him and be there for him…""

"Who said that, momma?" Brody asked, lifting his head as he interrupted her recitation.

Peyton smiled at him, her heart breaking a little at his regression. "Brooke said that honey, the day she gave you to me. I think you might be old enough to hear the tape so you can hear what she said for yourself. Though it's been 10 years, so who knows if it still works." Peyton muttered to herself. She continued. "We never lied to you, kiddo, not about this."

She held him close for another moment, then gently disentangled herself from him, sliding to the edge of the bed. "You can stay in here as long as you need to think about things. Im going to find your father, because if I know him, he's somewhere upset, because you're upset, and if I don't calm him down before Tink wakes up, shes gonna be upset…"

Brody chuckled, which was exactly what Peyton was going for. "You're gonna be okay, my first-loved son. Muah!" She pressed a smacking kiss to his forehead before heading out the room.

"Mom?" she turned around at the sound of his voice. "I think I still need some time…and maybe Daddy? But can you tell Brooke…" Brody sat up in the bed, his eyes falling on a picture sitting on the corner of his desk of him and his family smiling goofily at the camera, before locking eyes with his mother. "…tell her I said thanks for letting me go."

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Maybe a little mature for a 9 year old, but maybe not in Tree Hill. After all, Jamie was dating at the ripe old age of 5- first Sam, then Lauren, then Madison. I tell you that boy was way too grown for 5 on the show.

"""" in this chapter was from AFB! If I can give props to mark, I can give props to myself!

Guys, be sure and tune in on Friday, because at the end of chapter 13, If you get a certain number of reviews by midnight Friday, Ill update over the weekend too. So be ready to review.


	13. The Calm After The Storm

A/N: Shout out to baby Sierra!

You guys are so awesome, you made me stay up last night and rewrite this chapter, because I totally skipped to after dinner, and left out all the reconciliation scenes. So flashbacks in italics are here because of your awesome and insightful reviews.

chocolatemud- loved the long review! You are exactly right about Peyton, which you'll see later. You are actually spot on about a lot of things my dear!

Firestarterchik- I know how it is with muses, so Im waiting patiently. take your time.

Mcgirl- You are so right on! I dont think Leyton would be together if Brooke hadnt left either, but Lucas doesnt think about that. I can bet you its crossed Peyton's mind though...

Hey Ghostwriter- Im glad they aired out the dirty laundry- maybe things will calm down now, and you guys can get some flashbacks? :)

A-dono- Peyton has everything she ever dreamed of and more. Its gonna take a lot to get this Peyton riled up.

Crazyjan- I dont think Lucas will hold onto his anger. I think he forgot for a moment the things Brooke pointed out to him, and now that its obvious (and hes seen what its done to his son), he'll actually let go and give Brooke a chance.

TreeHillLove- Brooke wouldnt talk to Brody, shes not his mother _and _she wouldnt know what to say. Peyton was the right one. I agree with Lucas to an extent, but I also realize Brooke could have done a lot shadier things than what she did. He can be mad at what she did do, but he also has to be thankful for what she didnt do, which was keep the baby from him. I personally thank Brooke all the time for giving Brody up. Leyton would not be together if she stayed and tried to raise the baby. Brucas was together season 3 and beginning season 4 without a baby. Can you imagine Lucas' pull to her when she is also the mother of his child? Just something that always pops in my head when Brooke makes me mad, though you can dislike her for as long as you want, as long as you read!

bubbletoes- I always see Peyton as an awesome mom, even better than Haley because she went through some things as a child and teenager and can relate to confusion and angst. So yeah, I love writing momma bear peyton.

Kelsey- I was singing too! Which was why when I had such trouble thinking of a title, I chose that one!

Stagediva- There are some flashbacks of when she was pregnant, but not of her with her parents. Ill try to see if a scene for that can be written.

babes- I think maybe there might be a little truce coming along.

bkworm- I love Xena, and Im a dork so I watch the commentarys and interviews, and one thing Rob Tapert always said was for heavy epis, they always start off with something light. So shout out to Xena for giving inspiration to the Breyton, Lanna, Leyton love before the gigantic battle!

LPfan- She sure couldve, and Im glad she made Lucas remember that. Forget giving him to someone else, she could have kept him and raised him in Cali, with Lucas only getting visitation!

Amanda- It was tough, but the convo will def ease some of the tensions around the house.

MrsCullen- I dont think so either, but then again, Brucas were never friends. They had a fun, sexual relationship the first time around it seems, and then it was a fragile friendship at best the beginning of season 2. So this Lucas never really got down to the heart of B Davis, and this Brooke never really got the chance to mature with the core 5 before she left. But ""maybe they can be better"" ;)

luke n peyton- 10 pages is about as long as Im gonna go! Thanks for the song reviews. It _is_ like Brooke is one of Peytons kids, and I kinda feel sometimes Peyton is treating her like one, because they arent on equal ground and Brooke keeps making mistakes. That wont last long, I dont think. Tink doesnt have MS, but good guess.

LSPS- Thank you. Im going to try to UD that next week. My muse is starting to come back for that story, so new chapters should be coming soon. This fic is prewritten, so I havent written an chapter for anything in a long time. Well, this one needed some work, but you get what I mean.

Lalez- I will use that method the next time. I like that better! Brody has a lot of Peyton in him. If you havent seen it already, you will as the fic progresses.

Skittlebox- My nephew does it from the plate, but its with fingers that have been in his mouth smashing cheerios, so the cheerio I get is a little moist. lol. They are from the show, but not from the show. The names are the same, and Sam's back story is the same, but she got caught up since Brooke didnt save her, and Haley didnt take an interest in her since she didnt recognize that she stole from Brooke as she did in the show. I couldnt think of a baby name so I used Angie's name. I dont know if theyll show up again. Do you want them to?

Kathiria- Thanks for the passionate review! Yes, you called Brooke getting closer to Tink. I got a little emotional myself when Brody broke out the Momma, instead of Mom. I think Lucas has learned his lesson, so you will prob learn to like him again. I hope.

Annie- I thought so too about Brooke, and they said it on the show when they talked about Brooke liking boys at 9! Brody/Brooke scenes wont be for a while. we are going into flashback mode, so a lot of the chapters will be Brooke or Leyton flashbacks.

McHobbit- Im not annoyed. I accept all comments. I think it may have been pushing it, but he has Lucas as a dad, and Peyton is really empathic, so hes picked up traits from both of them, not to mention all of the things the familie's gone through has made him grow up a little. (what things, you ask? read on and see!) So I think if he was really mature its a possible line, but either way, it was too good a line to resist!

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Chapter 12 The Calm After the Storm

July 9th 7pm

Dinner was a quiet affair. Scooter had decided earlier he and Brian were going to have a sleepover and had stayed at Nathan and Haley's instead of coming home,so thankfully he missed the fireworks. Tink was focused on getting her peas to stay on her spoon, and everyone else was too emotionally drained to make much conversation at the dinner table, but the tension was gone. With everything out in the open, the room was no longer filled with the feeling of quiet resentment and walking on eggshells. For now, the past had been put to rest.

Of course, it helped that Peyton Scott had a tried and true remedy for fixing any emotional disaster. After leaving Brody's room, she walked down the stairs and looked at the two contrite adults in the living room. _"_

_Lucas, your son wants to see you." she said calmly. She turned to Lucas. "And after you apologize to him, have him get Tink from her room and bring her to the car."_

She had slid her gaze to Brooke, and spoke to both of them.

_"Now while I'm gone, you need to fix whatever issues you need to fix before I bring my son and my daughter back into this house. We are not having a repeat of tonight again." _She said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Brooke felt two feet tall as Peyton coolly explained to her the rules about arguing with the kids present, again. Brooke apologized profusely, and Peyton sighed as she accepted it.

"_I accept your apology, because I happen to think you did the right thing giving Brody to his father, and Lucas tends to forget that part. But after awhile, apologies just become words. So lets try to avoid having to use them." _

Meanwhile, Lucas had done his best to explain his actions to his 9 year old son.

_"I'm sorry you had to hear all of that, and I'm sorry I havent been setting a good example for you this past week. __A real man admits when he is wrong, and I was wrong in the way I've been treating Brooke since she's been here. Maybe Brooke did some things I didn't like in the past, but everyone deserves a second chance."_

But Brody wasn't the only one Lucas apologized to. When Peyton had piled her children into the Comet, Ipod set up and ready to be blasted, with Brody in the front seat and Anna with her favorite stuffed toy in the back, and headed off to a winding country road, Lucas made his way to Brooke and did what he should've done in the first place. He faced Brooke, and his emotions, like a man.

"_Brooke, Im sorry for the way I've been treating you. I forgot to seperate you from your actions, and ending up hating you both. Maybe you made a mistake not telling me about Brody. But you did the right thing giving him to me to raise, and I have never thanked you for that. So thank you." _

And so it was that when Peyton opened the door and ushered in her fully restored child, healed with a carefully selected playlist and the top-down on the Comet to allow the wind to drive all the troubles away, her raised brow prompted a kiss and an apology from her husband as well as a promise that he and Brooke were now ready to 'play nice.'

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The phone rang as they were clearing off the table, and Peyton answered it as Brody made faces at Anna to distract her from the fact that Lucas was trying to remove the dinner that missed her mouth from her face.

"Brooke, it's for you." Peyton said, passing Brooke the cordless.

Brooke frowned. "Who knows I'm here? I didn't tell anybody where I was going. Hello?" she said into the phone.

"Hello Brooke, it's Karen."

"Oh hi Karen." Brooke said, relieved, but also a little hurt. No one else calling her would be doing so for anything good, but it still would have been nice if someone from her past life cared enough to track her down.

"Listen, I know you just started at the cafe, but I just wanted to tell you not to come in tomorrow."

"Okay." Brooke said slowly, stumped. Her second job in life, and already she was being fired. "Did I…do something wrong?" she asked hesitantly, bracing herself for the put-down.

"No, not at all." Karen said, her surprise at the question coming through the phone. "I enjoyed having you. We'll pick back up your training on Wednesday. I just can't do tomorrow, that's all."

"Oh, okay." Brooke said, still skeptical. "So I'll see you Wednesday?"

"See you Wednesday."

Brooke ended the call and stared at the phone, confused. Peyton glanced her way. "Something wrong?" she probed.

"No." Brooke shook her head and determined she wouldn't worry about it. "Karen just told me not to come in tomorrow and that she'd see me Wednesday."

Peyton grinned, thinking of her mother and her wily ways. They were way past the 'in-law' stage, and that Karen was a devious one. "Ok, cool, well you'll just have to hang with me tomorrow."

Brooke smiled back. "I think I can handle that."

"Good." Peyton said, before looking around, taking in the sight of her husband holding Anna and pretending to toss her to Brody, at the last second, not letting go but pulling her to his chest saying, "I'm not letting you go, you're _my_ favorite girl," while Brody pleaded with him playfully to "Give her to me, she's _my_ favorite girl." Anna just giggled, teasing both Scotts as she reached her arms out for Brody, then pulled them back.

"Actually, she's _my_ favorite girl," Peyton said as she swooped in and plucked Anna from Lucas' grasp.

"Mama!" Anna squealed excitedly, as if she hadn't just seen her mother 5 minutes ago. Lo' mama!" Anna said, grabbing Peyton's cheeks and pressing a kiss to Peyton's mouth.

"Momma loves you too baby girl!" Peyton said with exaggerated excitement, making Anna beam proudly. Cuddling Anna close, she looked around the room.

"How about a story?" she said still smiling, settling her gaze on her son. "Brooke told me earlier today she wants to hear all about the things you did to your poor parents growing up, Brody. Any ideas on which horrifying tale to tell first?" She teased.

"Hmmm." Brody said, thinking. Then he brightened. "I know! You could tell her about the time I hated Scooter!" he said, laughing hysterically when Lucas swiped at him with a dish towel.

"Okay, Okay! I didn't _hate_ Scooter. But it sure had Dad worried a bit." Brody said, as he put the table between him and Lucas, just in case.

"Not too worried." Lucas said sheepishly. He grinned evilly, feinting a left before running around the table. "Not like I am now at the thought of going to jail for killing my oldest son!"

Brody fell for the feint, not able to run in time to escape his father, who grabbed him up and began to tickle him, but not before mussing up his hair.

"That's…not fair." He choked out, unable to fix his hair because he was too busy dodging his father's fingers.

"Funny," Lucas said, grinning at Peyton. "I think those were his exact words when Scooter was born."

"You leave my son alone." Peyton scolded. "it's not his fault his genes call for perfect hair at all times." Peyton joked.

Both Lucas and Brody stopped their tussling. "Hey!" they said indignantly.

Peyton glanced at Anna. "I got three for one on that one. High five." She held up her hand tapping it gently to Anna's as Anna followed suit.

"Three for one?" Brooke asked.

Peyton glanced pointedly at Brooke's stylish bob. "Three for one."

Brooke patted her head, glancing in the mirror thinking that Peyton's look meant her hair was out of place. She stopped as she looked and saw that everything was fine. "Okay, okay! Three for one. Got it." Turning to Brody, she attempted a joke, gratified when he offered a small smile back. "Some people don't appreciate the time it takes for great hair."

Peyton chuckled. "Alright, alright. So back to the story. I want to get comfy, so Anna and I are gonna sit on the couch, and guys can join us, if it wont ruin your 'great hair.'"

Peyton made her way to the living room and sat in the middle of one of the couches, waiting for Lucas to sit next to her before she turned and stretched out, laying her head on his chest. It must have been a position they had assumed before, because Anna made herself comfortable in the space between Peyton's lap and the couch, holding up her hands that had Brooke confused until she saw Lucas' hand anchor itself on her belly. Brody bounced onto the ottoman, leaving Brooke to sit on another couch. She curled her feet up under her, leaning on the arm as she got comfortable, and waited for Peyton to start.

"Maybe it wasn't so funny to Lucas at the time, but looking back, you could appreciate Einstein's genius in his attempts to get rid of his brother. And just for payback," she said to Brody, "I'm going to add a little Scooter story to the Brody saga, just to make it fair….

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Ok guys! I know its short, but its a transition chapter to a flashback. People asked about Scooter first, so he's the first full flashback! yay!

I hope I hit everyone's points with the flashbacks! Comments and critcisms make my stories better, so keep them comin! You're almost at another centennial! Make it past 400 by tomorrow when I wake up, and Ill update Saturday **and** Monday!

To make it easy to review, here's something to write about. With what Brody said, how do you think he reacted to a new little brother? What had Lucas worried? How did Peyton handle things? Feel free to speculate- itll get you closer to the answer!

Oh, and just a random question. Can Brooke sing?


	14. Sibling Rivalry

A/N: You guys are the awesomest reviewers ever! I think you'll have no problem getting to 500 by Tuesday morning the way you review! Its so funny. I am smarter than I give myself credit for. I had made a Luke apology sequence, its in the next chapter though (chapter 15). So sorry for the redundancy. Just pretend he was super remorseful. I just watched the season 6 finale again, and realized how right on I was about Peyton's forgiving nature. She allowed Dan to hold the baby!?! That chick has a huge heart man. Even Dan got a little in.

M's, Tori, Annie, and misshay, I really appreciate how you go back and review all the chapters you missed when you didnt have to, and I know your fellow reviewers appreciate the boost in review numbers. I love your insights and comments!

Thanks for all your predictions. Read ahead to see if you were right! And I have no idea if Brooke can sing, because in my mind she would never put herself out there to do so in front of people. She is definitely not Haley level, but I can hear her offkey with the smoky voice making it bearable.

christina- isnt it funny how kids think you pick up their siblings at the store or something? 'Take him back' Take him back where? lol. Tell me what you think of how Peyton handled that question.

A-dono- Haley will be tough. And Peyton is def the matriarch of this brood. She had a presence in the show even when she was emotionally unstable, I just imagined how formidable she would be secure in her friendships, love, and life.

chocolatemud- I think being a father brings out the best in Luke. Hes a better man because hes setting an example for his sons, and can no longer afford to be 'selfish' in his actions. I love Peyton Sawyer, warrior princess. lol. And you know I had to have Peyton pass on the top down music blasting cure all for life. I just didnt expect it to come up so soon. But it was a good way for Brody to come back a kid again in the future scenes. You'll see why Karen did what she did in chapter 17. And be sherlock holmes. Ask demeter18. I love predictions! Cause as to your prediction, you were on the money!

Firestarterchick- that is so funny. How far apart were your husband and his brother? He must have been big to carry his little brother to those places. I probably would have used that if Brody was bigger.

leytonislove- That was the last chapter, when Brooke caused the argument and Brody's hurt feelings. She's almost done causing drama, and once you see her flashbacks, I think you will forgive her, so there will be not too much more serious drama from , disrupter of tranquil lives.

Amanda- Scooter has brown hair, so Brody wouldnt see that difference. You almost hit it with your predictions. See what parts you got comin up!

mcgirl- was that sufficient drama for you? I know how much you like it, and I tend to write fluff. Theres a little drama in this chapter, but not too much. Tell me what you think.

crazyjan- so flashback row, as I like to call it, is about to start. Do you want all the flashbacks at once, or do you want me to break up the current story line with them. Flashback, present day, etc.

marybeth- you called peyton!

Cassie- Itll be awhile, but theres a Breyton scene coming, so hold tight.

M's- Peyton Scott is the best person ever! And Tink is MY favorite girl, so she gets a lot of air time. heehee hee.

Stagediva- I added the makeup scenes because of your reviews, so keep reviewing! Brooke pregnant flashback next chapter, if you can stand the wait. Brooke with parents flashbacks a little later

Mchobbitt- tink stories 17-19. Can you stand the wait?

Tori- Youve just given me some ideas. Brody has Brooke's personality mostly, though he looks like his father, so I've been writing him with a WWBD (what would Brooke do) with a little Lucas empathy thrown in. He doesnt have Peyton's personality, but WIlliam does, so Ill keep your ideas in mind for him.

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Chapter 13 Sibling Rivalry

September 30, 2010

Peyton had an easy pregnancy with William, if you could count sleepless nights and frequent bladder runs 'easy.' She was able to continue going to classes until the beginning of May, and her professors allowed her to take her finals a week early so that she could return to Tree Hill. The baby wasn't due until the end of May, so she had time, but just to be safe she made plans to be in Tree Hill a month early. She had a feeling that as active as this baby was, he wasn't' waiting around the full 9 months to make an appearance. He had already gained the nickname 'Scooter,' from his penchant of never being in the same position at any given moment in utero. It had become a game to Peyton and Lucas- Peyton would call Lucas over to feel him kick, and by the time Lucas placed his hands on Peyton's belly, he was kicking somewhere else. They had no idea how apt the nickname truly was, but at the time it fit.

The others had no official reason to leave school early or get special treatment, so it was a solitary Peyton that was left on Karen's doorstep, figuratively speaking of course, since Lucas drove her home after her last final. He had been the best husband, excited about cravings, eager to drive to the store and get a pint of ice cream in the middle of the night, or rub a cramp out of her leg. The first time she yelled at him for no apparent reason he laughed joyfully, scooping her up and twirling her around until her anger turned into laughter, which turned into more. After that, she wasn't completely certain, but she wondered if half of the future arguments they got into were provoked. Either way, she didn't mind.

What she did mind was the forced but necessary separation from her husband and child, and she wasn't happy about it. Lucas did his best to ease the transition, making sure the house was stocked with all of her favorite foods, re- installing the webcam in the bedroom for her, and promising to bring Brody to visit on the weekends. But it wasn't the same. It was only for 2 weeks, since Lucas' last exam was on the 14th, but even two weeks was two weeks too long.

Karen, Keith, and Lily made it bearable, though sometimes Lily's presence backfired on the hormonal Peyton. The first time Lily pressed a kiss to her belly and whispered, "I love you, baby," Peyton burst into tears, the sight of the brown head by her stomach reminding her of Brody, who stayed with his father, since not only did he still have 'school,' Peyton could no longer lift him safely.

William Nathan Scott was polite enough to wait until his father came home to make his appearance, though not by much. Lucas arrived home on the morning of the 16th of May, William made his entrance into the world at one o'clock in the morning on the 17th , two weeks early. They barely made it to the hospital before William came out, kicking and screaming, and to this day Peyton lovingly jokes that he hasn't stopped moving since. William did everything early, and with movement. Even in sleep the little boy wiggled, as if he were impatient for the moment when his body was fully rested and he could open his eyes again. Already rolling, at 4 months he was also scooting around, using every part of his body to wiggle from one space to the other; perpetual motion since the day he left the womb, making his nickname official.

William was a joy, with his curly hair and big, green eyes like his mother, his personality a carbon copy of Peyton down to his penchant for staying up all night and refusing to wake up in the morning. It was a running joke that Lucas would occasionally demand a paternity test as he tried to find something that would claim the boy as his; even his nose was straight like Peyton's. There was one more thing he shared with his mother.

"_You do realize that William has outed me," Peyton joked, as his hair darkened with time to a beautiful chestnut brown._

"_What do you mean?" Lucas said, glancing up from staring in rapture at his son, who lay sleeping in his arms, a rare event. _

"_You think Brooke used to call me 'fake blond' for fun?" Peyton said, gesturing towards her hair. _

_Lucas paused in his perusal of his son. "Actually, yeah. I just figured she said that 'cause you don't act like a blonde." He thought for a moment. "And because she could be a bitch at times."_

"_Lucas! Language!" Peyton admonished, laughing as she shook her head. "Nope. The blond is not all mine. I may have been a dirty blonde as a child, but underneath the salon products I am a mousy brown babe. And now you know my secret shame." Peyton joked, pretending to bow her head._

"_But…how…I've __**never**__ seen you any other way!" Lucas protested, shocked and disbelieving that after living with her for 4 years, he had had no clue._

"_And if I keep doing my job, you won't." Peyton said cheekily. She patted his chest. "A woman never reveals her beauty secrets." She looked down at the sleeping baby. "And we're gonna talk about giving away Mommy's secret, little man!" She pressed a kiss to his forehead to let him know she really wasn't angry. _

"_Well," Lucas mused. "We can't let such a closely guarded secret leak to the free world." He pretended to think. "We can always tell people he took after my mom, or Dan."_

"_Mom" they both said together, after a beat. Dan was __**so**__ not an option. _

There was nothing Lucas didn't love about his son, but there was a small problem.

Brody couldn't stand him.

"Ok, Momma. Its time for Scoo-ta to go back to the hospital. I packed a bag for him, since he's too little." Brody said, dragging his Diego suitcase into Lucas and Peyton's bedroom. It would have been funny had this been right after William had come home from the hospital- the pediatrician had warned them about the possibility of Brody acting out and not being nice to his little brother. Unfortunately, this was 4 months later, and Brody had not warmed up to having a sibling at all.

"It was nice of you to help him baby, but dont you remember what we talked about? Scooter's not going back to the hospital. He's your little brother, and he's staying here with us." Peyton reminded him gently, breastfeeding William as she lay on the bed propped up with pillows.

Brody looked at Peyton, wide eyed at the edge of the bed. "But I don't need a brother. I have Jamie!" He said with all seriousness.

"Yes, you have Jamie, and now you have William too." Peyton said.

"But he cant do nothin'!" Brody said, throwing his hands up in frustration. Peyton choked back her laughter- he looked so much like Brooke at that moment, it was like going back in time to when they were younger and Larry made them play with the little girl next door who was 3 years younger than they were and couldn't yet leave the yard, so they had to go to her house and play with her toys.

"_She can't even go to the end of the block?" 8 year old Brooke said. She threw up her hands in frustration. "Who lives like this?"_

"Not yet," Peyton said coming back to the present and agreeing with the little boy, "But pretty soon, he's gonna get bigger, and he's gonna need his big brother to help teach him things, and to play with him." Peyton assured.

Truth be told, she wasn't really worried about Brody's relationship with William, though his dislike of the baby had gone on longer than any of them had thought. A loving child, there was no danger of him physically harming the baby, but he vocalized his unhappiness with the newest addition of the family daily. Peyton admired his stubbornness, knowing that he got that honestly from his biological mother, able to maintain a grudge for the longest time. But just like his mother, it was also only a matter of time before he would come around; Peyton just had to find the right trigger. Until then, Peyton settled in to wait, defusing situations as they arose, and almost enjoying her son's creativity in his attempt to get rid of his brother.

Lucas was another story.

The dislike between Brody and William was Lucas' biggest fear come true- two brothers with different mothers not getting along; to him, history was repeating itself. He brushed off Peyton's explanation that Brody didn't really grasp the concept of him having a different mother so it wasn't the same, because it wasn't just the interaction of the brothers that had him worried; it was also _his_ reaction to his sons, and what that meant for the future. He despised the feeling of anger he had towards Brody for his continued dislike of his brother, and he worried that he was turning into Dan, choosing one son to be the favored over the other. In his mind, there was no contest- Peyton's son would win, hands down, and to him, the fact that he felt that way was the biggest problem of all.

"Momma, it's the phone. The hospital made a mistake. They want William back." Brody said one time, gripping the phone in hand and passing it to Peyton.

"Hospitals don't take babies back, honey. They have a no-return policy." Peyton said calmly, hanging up the phone.

"Oh," Brody said, stumped. Since that didn't work, he tried again.

Piling all his toys in the middle of the floor, he explained to Peyton that William couldn't stay because they 'didn't have no room for him in the boy's room,' so he had to go back to the hospital.

Peyton explained how that was ok- William was staying in their room for the time being and didn't need to go into the boy's room yet, and then helped him clean up the mess he made.

Nathan and Haley did their best to stay out of it, though Nathan would chuckle at some of Brody's more ingenious plots and even Haley would crack a smile at his toddler logic. But Brody's stubbornness was giving Lucas sleepless nights, and each incidence made the ache in Lucas' chest grow just a little bigger.

He tried everything. He spent extra time with Brody, taking him alone on shopping trips, giving him more compliments, affection and praise, trying to spend more time reading to him. But Brody hated books, accepted compliments as his due, and informed his father every time Lucas was ready to leave the house, "No thank you- I wanna stay with Momma."

It all came to a head the day Brody packed a bag for him and Jamie and walked over to the front door, holding Jamie's hand tightly and announcing to the room that they were runnin' away, as the adults sat around the kitchen table after dinner. Haley explained to Brody gently that Jamie couldn't go, because he was too young to go outside the house without an adult.

Brody stood, stumped for a moment because that _was_ the rule of the house, so he let Jamie's hand go and told him he couldn't come, but that he was still going. Lucas latched onto Haley's idea and reminded Brody that he couldn't leave the house either, but instead of agreeing, Brody just asked Lucas to come with him.

"You and me, Daddy. We'll go and take William back to da hospital, and then I can stay here, okay?" Brody said, eyes wide as he attempted to talk his father into agreeing.

"No buddy. William's not going anywhere, and neither are you." Lucas said firmly, his heart breaking at the sight of the giant tears that sprouted in Brody's eyes.

"But it's not fair!" Brody wailed, plopping to the floor and sobbing, his head in his hands.

Lucas stood helplessly, floored by the accusation, but unable to refute it as he should. Because the truth was, that statement was a private worry that had been lurking in the back of his mind ever since the doctor announced it was a boy. He turned and left the room as Peyton rushed by him to Brody's side, having missed most of the exchange since she was putting William to sleep in his bassinet in their room.

Later that evening, Lucas confessed his fears to Peyton, unable to hold them in any longer.

"_Is_ it fair?" He whispered brokenly. "My heart feels so full whenever I look at William- he's a dream come true for me. I love to just watch him and figure out what's from you, and whats from me, and I marvel at how he is a part of both of us. And I don't do that with Brody."

"No, you don't." Peyton said honestly. "But what does that mean, Lucas? Nothing!" Peyton continued earnestly. "Brooke's not here to argue with you that the brown of his hair came from her and not grandma Karen, which is what you used to say. Or to claim his dimples as his, instead of yours, like you always told people."

"Or are you not remembering how proud you were when people would comment on his eyes and you would say, 'Just like his daddy!,' and tell them to 'check out his nose?' I don't hear you worrying about how you feel about William because he has my eyes, nose, and hair, and can't find anything of you in him yet! So if I follow your logic, I should be worried about Willliam, because some might say you love Brody more!" Peyton said, going to the other extreme to break Lucas out of his destructive thinking."

"But I don't want to love either one more than the other!" Lucas protested, shrugging off her attempts to comfort him. "It wouldn't have made it better if Dan had chosen me instead of Nathan when we were growing up; what sucked is that he chose!"

"But you haven't!" Peyton said, following his line of reasoning. "You are raising both of your boys, together. You love both of your boys." She held up a hand at his attempt to protest. "In different ways, and for different reasons, and that's okay, because they are different people. What's important is that you love them."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes. "You are the best father, Lucas Scott, because you learned from the _best_ how to be a father. Do I need to call Keith and tell him you don't think he taught you how to do this well enough?"

Lucas ducked his head, sheepish at the thought of Keith reprimanding him for his foolish thoughts.

Peyton touched her forehead to his. "Its okay that you're angry at Brody's behavior. I know its because you expect better of Brody, because you want him to be a good big brother, and you want him to be excited about having someone to play walkie-talkies with, like you wished you had when you were a kid. Its not because you like William better than Brody, or because you like William's birth mom better than Brody's birth mom, because let's be clear, I am the mother of both of your sons. So get all those thoughts out of your head, and stop letting Dan's mess come into our family!"

"Yes ma'am," he said dutifully as she playfully headbutted him.

Her eyes widened, and Lucas ran a hand over her forehead in concern.

"What? Did you hurt yourself?" he said.

She shook off his hand. "No, but I just had a thought!"

He smirked. "Hurt, did it?"

He chuckled as she hit his chest, then pulled her close. "I'm just playing. What was the thought, o' genius one?"

But she wouldn't share it with him, and told him she had to think about it. And the next day, she tested out her theory.

"Hey Brody, come here. Momma and Daddy want to talk to you." She said. She smiled as he came running in, arms outstretched, excited. Talking to his parents meant sitting in Peyton's lap while Peyton lay on Lucas's chest as they cuddled on the bed and shared their day.

She sat him on her lap and leaned back onto Lucas' chest, stroking Brody's baby soft hair. "Brody, why do you keep trying to send Scooter back to the hospital?"

"Because it's not fair!" he said as if it were obvious. Lucas sent an 'I told you so,' look to the back of Peyton's head, but she waved it away.

"But why isn't it fair, Brody?" she asked patiently.

"Because Jamie doesn't have a little brother and I do! And I don't want him to be sad, so Scoota's got to go back until Jamie gets a little brother too." Brody said earnestly.

Lucas stared at his son, incredulous. All this drama for 4 months because his son was looking out for Jamie? "Did Jamie tell you he was sad, buddy?"

Brody shook his head. "No, but when we have cookies, I can't eat one until Jamie gets one, cause if I have one and he doesn't he starts to cry." Brody shrugged. "I don't like it when he cries."

Peyton was doing her best to hold in her laughter at the fact that Scooter was being compared to a cookie. Pulling herself together, she fixed her face to a serious one and addressed Brody. "You are a good big cousin to think of Jamie's feelings like that, baby." Peyton said, hugging him tight. "But Scooter is here to stay, so what are we going to do to make sure its fair to Jamie?" She pretended to think. Brody put his finger to his mouth and stared up, thinking too, his gesture making Lucas smile.

"I think I have a solution." Peyton said finally, widening her eyes as she pretended the thought just came to her. Brody looked at her expectantly, as did Lucas. How exactly was she gonna fix this?

"Brody, do you think you can share Scooter with Jamie until he gets a little brother or sister? It'll take a while for Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan to get him one." Peyton said, faking excitement.

Brody's eyes widened. "I didn't think of that!" He got excited too. "Like when there's only one cookie left and we have to cut it in half!" He hugged Peyton. "Momma, you're a genius! I'ma tell Jamie!" He jumped off the bed and ran out of the room.

Peyton glanced smugly at Lucas. "You hear that? I am a genius!"

Lucas shook his head and rose to his feet. "You are a genius." He said, kissing her forehead. He went to follow Brody. "A genius that just told her son to cut his brother in half so he can share him with his cousin."

Lucas chuckled as he made his way to the boy's room, where he could hear Brody telling Jamie excitedly about how they were gonna share William. After he explained to the boys that William was not to be cut in two, he couldn't wait to tell Nathan and Haley about their assignment to give Jamie a brother. Knowing the Scott potency, the possibility of a sibling for Jamie before graduation wasn't as far fetched as one would think.

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My nephew was three when he told me we had to take his little sister back to the hospital. Little kids are so funny. Your kid stories were so awesome. I loved reading them. Tell me what you think! UD on Monday!


	15. Efforts to Understand

A/N: Thanks for the awesome stories guys! I love reading about all the inventive ways you and your siblings tried to be the only one again! I have a headache, so forgive me if you wanted me to say more.

Stagediva- Chapter 17- you are almost there! And I think you'll like the next two chapters as well. Brooke did give birth alone.

Crazyjan- I think the last chapter was the last chapter of Brooke causing drama. I didn't expect yall to be so understanding of Brooke, so maybe it wasn't as drama laden to you guys as it felt to me. Which is all good. Her mother on the other hand…

A-dono- no complications…for Williams birth

Luke-n-peyton- muscular dystrophy? Nope. Check out chapter 17!

Lalez- it's the summertime, so with lots of people on vacation, Im only averaging about 30 reviews a chapter (less than the previous stories but no less appreciated!). Its different people every chapter, so if everyone reviewed every chapter, its about 50-75 people that love me and write something down, and Im not counting story alerts and those things, though favorite author and story alerts are loved.

M's- Lucas logic does have a lot of truth, and that's why it was a valid concern. I think he stepped up to the challenge though, because if anybody would be sensitive to that issue, it would be him.

Lwrnld- Hey good to see you back! Were you on vacation? Whered you go? I have to live vicariously because I am stuck in MD writing my dissertation so I can graduate.

DISCLAIMER: stuff in "" "" is from the show and not mine!

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Chapter 14 Efforts to Understand

July 9th, 10:30 pm

Later that evening, after Brody had been put to bed, Brooke was puttering around her room when a knock sounded at her door.

"Come in," she called out, surprised when she saw that Lucas had accompanied Peyton downstairs.

"Hey Brooke, do you have a minute?" Peyton said, standing at the door.

"Sure," Brooke said, walking towards the door.

She followed Peyton into the playroom and sat down on one of the couches as Lucas and Peyton sat down on the other.

Brooke noticed how Peyton squeezed Lucas' hand as he began to speak. "I wanted to apologize again for how I've been acting since you came back. I still don't understand why it took you so long to do so, and I probably never will, but I am going to let it go."

He looked down at his hand intertwined with Peyton's and it seemed to give him the strength to continue. "I don't ever want to see the look on my son's face again, and know that I helped put it there because I couldn't be a man and address an issue head on. And I don't want him confused because _I_ can't put aside how I feel, even though it's what's best for my family right now."

He sighed. "And to be honest, I lost sight for a moment that you did give me one of the best things in my life, and I can never thank you enough for allowing me to be a full-time father to our son." Peyton put a hand on his back and smiled as he laid a kiss on her hand.

"But before we put this to rest, and I hope after tonight we can, I just want to know why." Lucas said, his gaze back on Brooke. "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? Why did you leave like that? Can you explain it to me? To both of us? Because your leaving didn't just hurt me, though Peyt here would like you to believe its all dead and forgotten, no explanations necessary. And they are necessary."

Peyton began to protest, but Brooke interrupted her. "No, he's right." She met first Lucas' then her gaze steadied on Peyton's. "You deserve an explanation of why I left you, even though it killed me to have to."

Brooke sat back, and began to share with them the story she had always wished she had been strong enough to share with Peyton 10 years ago.

_January 2006_

_Bitchiness was something I did well. But it seemed that lately I had hit an all-time high. Normally, that wouldn't worry me, but with everything else that was going on, a bitch was not something I really wanted to be at the moment. _

_I should have known something was off when I found myself crying in the middle of the mall the day Lucas broke up with me. Not so much the crying part (although that was a little out of character), but the middle of the mall? Where people could see?_

_I had been doing my usual retail therapy, spending ridiculous amounts of money on things I would never wear, cursing all men and promising myself that I had been right all along to avoid the whole couple trap. And then I caught sight of a blond haired boy kissing a dark haired girl (not as cute as me, of course) and I found myself bursting into tears, sinking onto the nearest bench and burying my face in my hands._

_I couldn't figure out if the gods were helping me or hurting me when Haley and Peyton found me at the mall. I had just finished pulling myself together, prepared to try Peyton's cell just one more time, when the one I had been looking for all day appeared in front of me._

""_Peyton?"" I said, half- believing it was a crying jag mind trick. ""I looked all over for you. You didn't get my messages?""_

""Really? Oh no my phone's been whacked out all day. Are you okay?"" Peyton said, concerned.

_  
I continued to cry. ""Not really, no. I said I wasn't going to do this and I said that it wasn't worth it but it is. Lucas broke up with me.""_

""I'm sorry."" Peyton said, sympathetically.

""I was looking forward to getting a chance to show him how much he means to me and he said he just wants to be friends. And every idiot knows that that's just code for go away. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."" I looked to Peyton and Haley, as if they would be able to give me the answer.

""Look, if Lucas said he wants to be friends, I'm sure he means it."" Peyton said.

""How do you do that with Lucas?"" I asked. Be friends with a boy I had started to give my heart to? I had never learned the rules of this game.

Peyton looked to Haley helplessly. Haley spoke up. ""You just sort of do everything that you've been doing without the sex part.""

I laughed ruefully. ""There's a first time for everything, right?""

_It looked like there was a first time for everything. A time to have your first break-up, a first time for your best friend to betray you, a first time to suspect that you were pregnant. It was ironic, really. I couldn't count the random hook-ups I'd had, the times I'd woken up from a drunken stupor hoping like hell the boy beside me had used a condom the night before, since I was too drunk to remember what I was diligent about sober. Numerous random encounters, and my first pregnancy scare was with a steady boyfriend, who, because of his history, was more careful than I had ever been. _

_I had brought a gift over to his house the next day, hoping that it would open the door for me to be able to talk to him about my suspicions, but he was sleeping when I arrived. I was surprised, but pleased when Karen invited me to go through her pictures from Italy- for a moment, the stress over what my missed period could mean put on hold for a moment. _

_The moment burst into flames the moment I saw Lucas with Peyton on his computer. I stood there in the hospital, watching as my best friend tried to hide the fact that she was the reason I no longer had a boyfriend.  
_

_So now I had to face a potential pregnancy without a boyfriend, and without a best friend. _

_Would I have reacted the way I did had my hormones not been all over the place? After all, looking back, seeing Lucas passed out on the bed while Peyton spoke to Karen was not all that damaging. But everyone knew the history between those two, and when Lucas lied about where he was, the suspicion bloomed in my heart and would not go away. _

_When I confronted Peyton about it and stormed out of her room, I actually thought for a moment that she would come after me, denying everything I accused her of, protesting how she would never do such a thing, but as I raced down the stairs and out to my car, Peyton did not follow. _

_When I hit the door I slowed, giving Peyton a chance to get over the shock and come after me, but she never appeared, and on the way home I faced the realization that my unsubstantiated accusation made in the heat of anger had uncovered a hideous truth- I was not good enough. Not good enough a friend for Peyton not to betray me, not good enough of a girlfriend for my boyfriend not to want someone else. And I wish I could have been surprised, but in the back of my mind, I knew it all along._

_---------------_

"You know," Brooke said casually, breaking off from her story. "If you had just told me you were in love with him when I'd asked you, maybe I wouldn't have flipped out the way I did."

Peyton stared at her, incredulous. "You just blamed it on the hormones!" she protested.

"You were in love with me way back then?" Lucas asked Peyton at the same time, smirking. Peyton shushed him, stating crossly. "Oh, whatever. Everybody knew that but you two." She turned back to Brooke. "I thought you were mad because I cheated with your boyfriend, and it didn't matter that I loved him. Back then, I wasn't even really admitting it to myself, and now you're saying that if I told you I was in love with him, it would have made a difference?"

"Well…" Brooke shook her head. "I don't know. I guess, looking back on it now and seeing where you guys ended up, I kind of always knew in the back of my mind that it was the two of you all along. And if you had admitted it, maybe I wouldn't have spent so long feeling like my best friend had betrayed me for something as insignificant as a fling." Brooke shrugged. "I could have understood a betrayal for love. After all, the heart wants what it wants." she waited a beat, then continued. "And I could have understood it, because it was what I had done to you."

Peyton frowned, confused. "You never stole anyone from me."

"You mean, besides Lucas?" Brooke cut her eyes at Peyton, then sighed when she realized she didn't understand. "God, Peyton, I was your best friend! You think I didn't know how you felt about Lucas before? Why do you think I tried so hard to get you and Nathan back together? I wanted Lucas, and I was determined to have him. All your denial just made it easier for me, that's all."

"But I told you I just wanted to be friends with him back then." Peyton said, refusing to let Brooke take the blame.

"Please," Brooke scoffed, crossing her legs. "As much as you two were sparking? All those longing glances, the quick and quiet conversations? I knew you were just scared- I even told Lucas that the night of the Duke party he rescued us from. But…I don't know…the way he looked at me, like he saw that I could be somebody more than I was, you know?" She looked off into the distance. "I just wanted to hold onto to that feeling for a while."

"And I never really expected him to choose me over you, if you want to know the truth." Brooke finished up.

"I don't think any of us saw that coming." Peyton said, sending a half-hearted glare to Lucas who was keeping quiet on the touchy subject, still a little blown by the revelations of the night.

"This…this doesn't change anything, does it?" Brooke asked hesitantly, after a minute had gone by and Peyton remained stunned, unmoving as she processed what she had just been told.

"I don't know." Peyton said honestly. "I always wondered if maybe our betrayal made you feel you couldn't be honest with us when you found out you were pregnant, and if you and Lucas had still been together, you might have stayed. But then, if you hadn't 'interfered' as you put it, in Lucas and I getting together, Brody wouldn't be here."

Peyton shook her head, as if trying to erase her thoughts. "You know what, it doesn't matter. It's over, you cant change the past, and I can't complain about how it all turned out, so we're gonna let this go, and you are gonna finish this story."

"Ok," Brooke said, relieved, but not really believing it would truly be left in the past. She sat back and let the memories she had long buried make their way back to the forefront.

_-------------_

_The cheerleading competition was hell, and not just because I was not talking to my best friend, and I had just found out that the boy I placed on a pedestal had fallen pretty far down after his bar fling. I had been feeling off the entire weekend, and morning sickness was a bitch, though at the time I chalked it up to nerves from the weekend. Karen was an unexpected blessing, being there for me at a time where I could have really used a mother. And though I didn't know it, Karen's support through everything held heavy weight in my future decisions. _

_I didn't know it at the time, but so did something Peyton said when we arrived back at Tree Hill High. ""Brooke, you might not be my friend, but I'm still yours. And I'm going to prove it to you.""_

_Who would have known those words would change the course of both our lives?_

_I did my best to ignore a growing suspicion, struggling to distract myself with parties and boys. I got my wake up call when I began to flirt with a guy at a bar with Mouth and I didn't recognize that I had been with him once before. It was my casual disregard for sex that had gotten me in this mess in the first place, even if I had finally gotten caught in spite of protection by my at the time boyfriend, and not a faceless one night stand. _

_On some level I must have known something, because I hadn't had a sip of alcohol since Lucas had been in the hospital. Oh, I blamed it on other things of course. The fact that Lucas almost died because his uncle had been drinking, the focus to get ready for the classic, the need to rework the routine during the Classic (After Brody was born I sent a prayer of thanks for Theresa's chicken pox), and finally the night with Mouth, where it had been easy to avoid the hooch because he didn't drink either. _

_Mouth didn't know it, but he had been the first one I had opened up to. _

_We were sitting in the limo when Mouth began to speak, alarmed by the devastated look on my face. ""Brooke, did something happen?""_

_I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes. ""Do you want to talk about it?"" Mouth asked hesitantly._

""How long have you known Lucas?"" I asked softly.

""Since 4th grade. I transferred in."" he answered.

"" And you think he's a good guy?""

""I think he's a great guy. Why?"" Mouth said, confused by the train of the conversation.

""Remember when I told you what girls want? Girls just want somebody to want them back. At least I do."" At the sight of my tears, Mouth gently pulled me close.

_Mouth's words gave me some comfort, but not much. However, it was enough to do what I knew I need to- tell Lucas my suspicions. So after dropping Mouth off, I took a gamble and told the driver to take me to the Rivercourt. I didn't know how happy I was to find that he was there, but it was too late to go back. _

_I walked over to where he was sitting on the picnic table. ""I need to talk to you.""_

""Okay."" Lucas said.

I didn't hesitate. ""I spent the entire night trying to avoid this or ignore it, but I cant so I've just got to say it.""

""Brooke, what's up?"" Lucas said, finally showing some emotion.

""_I think I'm pregnant."" A look of shock crossed his face. _

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This is a good place to stop, since the chapter was getting too long! Part 2 of Brooke's decision to leave coming up! It'll be up on Wednesday if you can get to 500 by Tuesday night, or Friday if you cant.


	16. Decisions

A/N: I'm sorry you guys didnt make it on Wednesday! But its all good, and I still love you, so I am going back to giving the extra updates on Wednesday (Monday to Friday is just too long to go without an update!).

Lwrnld- Its good to have you back. No, Brooke's mom didnt know yet. And if I didnt answer your question in this chapter, let me know, okay?

HJS- sorry ;)

Firestarterchik- Congratulations, unhappy pregnant woman! Im glad you figured out the in and out of it all. Thats actually why I like big flashbacks to be one chapter, like this one coming up!

Kelsey- I tried to be as authentic as possible to the show, so I rewatch the episodes as I write (hence the """"). The one I quoted he was sitting on the benches at the rivercourt when she walked up. And as for what she tells him, you'll see in this chapter what happens with all of that!

Leytonfan- what would you like them to have a conversation about?

Chocolatemud- I love your predictions! Unfortunately, since I said everything happened as it did on the show before 2.03, I couldnt take creative liberties with events, but I did do so with their thought processes. So tell me what you think of how I played it!

Zarzk and michymoo- Hey,havent seen you around! thanks for reading!

Skittlebox- I always saw Brooke's scheming, and thats what made the drama between the three of them what it was. When Brooke saw Peyton distancing herself from her and Lucas when they first got together, Brooke knew why but she wanted her best friend too. I always felt that if Brooke let Peyton distance herself like she tried to do, they wouldnt have had the triangle. rewatch the episode where Brooke ran after Peyton when they all were in the cafe. Brooke manipulation all the way. Anyway, its a sore point with me, so I have to stop my rant now or Ill go off on other season 1 conspiracies. Luckily Brooke redeemed herself a little in season 4 by stepping off, even if she didnt do it well.

mcgirl- Im guessing you didnt like the Brooke heavy chapter of this one, huh? Dont worry, there are some leyton brody flashbacks heading your way. And I would have felt sorry for Brooke in the triangle, but I dont know what she expected when she knew all along where his heart was and she went after him anyway.

stagediva- Brooke's parents will make some real time appearances- far far off in chapter time, not so much in real time. Peyton's birthday is coming up in real time, about 6 chapters in storytime. you did not miss what Karen had up her sleeve for Brooke. Its coming next chapter.

Annie- you cant figure out what Brody said about what? Brookes singing ability was a random question. She wont be singing, but if you guys thought she had some talent I would have maybe had Brody have a good singing voice. But since most people (And I agree) dont think either she or Lucas can hold a note, neither then would Brody.

Lalez- I def watch the epis when I do my """" because I want to see their facial expressions and the context and stuff so it makes sense when I tweak it in my stories. Not tryna steal anything, ok Mark? :)

lukeandlorelai- I dont think Luke realized Peyton loved him back then, because she kept playing like she didnt and pushed him away. We knew cause we saw everything, but he had no real clue. Like, maybe. Lust, definitely. But no, he had no idea she loved him.

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Chapter 15 Decisions

February 2006

I never told Lucas how much it meant that he offered to stay with me while I took the test. I should have known though. I pursued him so hard because I sensed the goodness of his heart, even though he had made some pretty big mistakes. And it didn't hurt that he had friends like Mouth, decent people with good hearts, to vouch for him.

I even leaned on him for a split second after finding out the test was positive before the feeling of needing him scared me into being mad. The last time I let myself feel this way, I ended up betrayed by both my boyfriend and my best friend. I wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

I took myself to the clinic appointment alone, and once again hardened my heart when it melted at the sight of him waiting for me outside. I refused to lean on him again. But he was persistent, and found me again at school. The scared look on his face matched the scared feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I refused to be swayed. And then he made it that much easier to do what I did next. He questioned whether or not he was the father.

I was still reeling from his ""How do I even know it's mine?"" comment. _He_ was the one who cheated, and he was doubting whether or not _I_ had been true? It was too much. Which is probably why I blurted out the affirmation that I was pregnant when the doctor called, when I had already decided at the clinic to keep the news to myself, because to admit it out loud would make it all too real.

I was pregnant.

The news was so big, so overwhelming, I couldn't help it- I needed my best friend. So when I found Peyton on the quad, talking to a dark-haired girl, the relief I felt overpowered any residual anger from the betrayal I was still reeling from. There I was, about to confess to what happened, when Peyton revealed that she and Lucas were still talking to one another.

Those hormones again. Maybe if I wasn't hormonal, I wouldn't have jumped to conclusions about them being together, when they had been friends before everything happened. But then again, the reason I was hormonal was the reason I decided to put my feelings aside and reconnect with Peyton in the first place, so it was all up in the air anyway.

I didn't know what I was going to do. Here I was, 17, pregnant, and alone. I hadn't even baby-sat, for goodness sake! The closest I had ever come to a baby was Jenny, and even then, I was content to let Peyton take the lead with the little girl. The clinic had given me some pamphlets while I was waiting to see the doctor, so I knew my options. Keep it. Abort it. Give it away.

Maybe the decision would have been easier if it was the product of some one night stand. But this was Lucas Scott's baby, and I had made the mistake of telling him, which took the decision solely out of my hands. I didn't like the guilt I felt every time my mind went in the direction of termination- anyone else, and there wouldn't even be a discussion, as harsh as that might sound. But I knew the alternative, and I refused to let my kid grow up like I did because I couldn't love it the way I should. And Lucas was so earnest when he came to talk to me the next night.

""My dad didn't want me, okay? Not just that he didn't want to claim me- he didn't want me to be born. I always thought that when I started a family I'd be, older, and settled, and I'd be –""

""In love?"" I said out loud, my heart breaking at the realization that while I was falling in love, he really was just 'having fun.'

""Yeah. But so did my mom.""

I sat there and listened to him pour out his heart and promise to be there for me, whatever I decided. And in listening to him, I realized that while he might _say_ he'd be okay with my decision if I decided I wasn't ready, the pain in his voice as he spoke of his fathers desire to get rid of him, and the earnestness in his voice and he tried to convince me he'd be a good father, told me otherwise.

Staring into his eyes, I couldn't help but wish I had kept it all to myself until I had made a decision, because thinking about him was getting in the way of deciding what was best for me. So I did the one thing I knew I was good at. I lied.

""I'm not pregnant.""

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Would I have told the truth if I had known that I would end up keeping the baby? Probably not. Even if I had known all the while that Broody Jr would become a reality, I still wasn't ready for Lucas to try to convince me that he really did love me after all, or even worse, offer 'do the right thing' and ask me to marry him.

But I also didn't tell the truth because I didn't know what my decision would be. I wasn't motherly like Peyton, I didn't have Luke's history, and there were some days my parent's made _me_ wish they didn't have me.

I would watch Jake at school, how tired he always looked, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, and I would imagine myself looking the same my senior year. Missing parties like he did. Not being able to be cheer captain because I couldn't always get a sitter after school. Not being able to date because, lets face it, not everyone was Peyton and could look beyond the high school parent to the great person underneath and be willing to give them (and their baby) a chance.

I drove by the women's clinic every morning, thinking 'Would this be the day?' Would this be the day I made an appointment to kill my baby? But I never stopped the car. I slowed down a couple of times, but never made it to a complete halt. I even drove around the block once looking for a parking spot before I convinced myself that to stop would make me late for school.

I guess a part of me wanted the baby- to be a better mother to him or her than my mother was to me, to see a part of me in someone else. I even hung out with Peyton and Jenny at the mall. And then we lost Jenny and it made me wonder- what made me think I would be any better than my mother was? Even she had never lost me. Not to mention the fact that she already had me beat, since she was married and over 21 at the time I was born.

The devastation on Peyton, and later Jake's face when he heard the story of Jenny's near miss, didn't exactly endear me to loving someone that vulnerable so strongly, even if I did decide to try motherhood. And being honest with myself in looking back on the day, the entire time Jenny was with us, I never once held her. I never once offered to push the stroller for Peyton, my mind other things besides the baby.

No, even _my_ kid deserved better than me.

I was still wrestling with my thoughts when Lucas left. Just up and went to Charleston with his Uncle Keith without saying goodbye. I must admit that move just proved in my mind I had done the right thing. There was no baby, so there was no need for a relationship with Brooke. And any hope that maybe his willingness to be there for me and the baby had something to do with me was shattered on the day he left.

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The next day I went over to Peyton's house. Life was about to change soon, and I wanted to make as many memories with my best friend as possible, because however things went down, the shit was definitely on its way to the fan. Plus I wanted a day to just be a teenager, and not think about the overwhelming decision I had to make. I wasn't showing yet, and I wanted to enjoy my body while I still could. At least, that was my excuse as I flashed the boat of boys passing by while Peyton and I were sunbathing.

Once again, the hormones got the best of me, so I blew up at Peyton shortly after and we rode back to the marina in silence. The task of guiding the boat through the water was soothing, and it allowed my mind to calm and think rationally about the situation. Was I really going to ruin the entire trip because Peyton waited a day to give me an unopened letter? The 'no' that resounded in my mind made it easy to forgive her after her explanation, and as she hugged me around my neck, I place my arms around her and savored the feeling.

P Sawyer.

My best friend.

Before boys, after boys, forever. One thing I never had to worry about in my decision was her reaction. I knew that no matter what, she would have my back, and be awesome with the baby if I decided to have it. I watched her with Jenny, and though I hadn't ever thought it before, I envied her with her ease in dealing with her, the love she was able to show to a child that wasn't hers, when I was struggling every day to be okay with having my own.

I almost gave it away talking about Nathan and Haley getting married. I was playing on Peyton's computer, putting her on a website that would rate her lust factor to kill time, when I said the first thing I thought of when I heard the news. I probably wouldn't have started that train of thought, but it was where my mind had been lately, and I was distracted, so of course I said…

"" _She's gotta be pregnant.""_

""_Or in love."" Peyton said, looking over from her albums._

""_I'm going with pregnant. Please, he's a Scott boy, just look at one and snap, your…"" Whoa, definitely didn't want to finish that sentence. ""…never mind."" _

I quickly changed the subject, and Peyton probably never put it together that I was saying that because I knew firsthand how potent the Scott sperm was.

I hoped she wasn't pregnant, and married Nathan because she loved him, and not because she had to. It would give me hope that I was making the right decision, not telling Lucas I was pregnant and avoiding the inevitable trap. I never thought the sight of Haley's birth control patch would give me something to believe in, but then again, sometimes you find a reason to believe in places you never thought possible.

I had thrown myself into planning the party for Naley, as I dubbed the newly wedded couple, and had gotten really creative with ways to get Peyton to a 10 on the lust factor, and it took my mind off of the decision I knew I had to make soon. I was getting really good at avoiding my own thoughts, and my friends were doing a great job helping me, even if they didn't know it.

You think they would have noticed the loose fitting or black shirts I had taken to wearing. Even if I still wasn't showing, in my mind I would've sworn everyone could tell, so just in case, I stuck to dark colors so that any hint of extra weight would be hidden.

It was tricky to hide the fact that I wasn't drinking during Haley's bachelorette party- I didn't want anyone to get suspicious. Brooke Davis, turning down alcohol? But once again I had an excuse for the night; I was the coordinator of the party, and needed to be lucid. I worried a little about how I would explain not taking my turn on the pole when I had done the class before, but then Haley went flying off of it and that part of the night was over. I did my best to hide the grin of relief.

It must have been fate that my credit cards were all declined, because I was looking around, laughing and enjoying my friends and thinking how maybe, just maybe, it would be okay if I had this baby, when I was informed oh so politely that I didn't have any money.

And the thought was quickly gone.

""I was thinking about what Haley said."" I shrugged as I looked at Peyton as we drove home from a night of washing dishes. ""You know, how it's all supposed to be for love.""

""Kinda scary huh?"" she said to me.

""Yeah."" I paused before continuing. ""Do you think she's right?""

""I know she is."" Peyton admitted. ""But…that's not the part that scares me.""

""So what does?"" I asked, because it sure was the part that scared me.

Peyton thought about it for a moment. ""People are gonna disappoint you; I get that, I kinda expect that but…I dunno, what if you wake up one day and realise that you're the disappointment?""

I looked away, thinking that somehow, without even knowing it, Peyton had hit the nail on the head with that was bothering me. Whichever way this pregnancy ended, one ending was clear. I would be a disappointment. For getting an abortion, for giving it away, for not being a good mother if I kept it. I was interrupted by my thoughts by Peyton.

""What's on your mind Brooke?""

I wanted to tell her so bad, my teeth ached from holding the words back. ""I was just thinking about…"" I warred with the urge to share with my best friend my inner turmoil, but I didn't win. ""...how we're gonna pay for this limo."" It made her laugh, which made me laugh, and I savoured what at the time I had no idea was my last night with my best friend.

I had no idea when I confronted my dad about my rejected credit cards that his bankruptcy would be my blessing. Because of the loss of his job, he was forced to look for anything he could get, and what he got was a job that started immediately out in California. Which meant I had to move in less than a week.

God really did answer prayers.

Moving away gave me options. Out in California, no one knew me. I could take my time in deciding what I wanted to do, without thinking about how it would affect Lucas and his sensibilities.

There was only one downside. I would have to leave my best friend.

I wrestled with it for a week, the decision I had to make about Peyton affecting more than the one about my pregnancy, which only served to prove to me that keeping it was _so_ not an option. Did I tell her I had to go? Did I tell her why? I knew Peyton wouldn't let me go, and I was scared to tell her, because I knew that she would try to hold me to her, and I would let her.

We were each other's only family, forged out of necessity, maintained by love. She would beg me to stay, and more than likely, beg me to stay with her, promising to help me raise the baby- knowing Peyton, I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to even play matchmaker and reunite me and Lucas. But I didn't want that. I wanted to be selfish. I wanted to go; I just had to decide if 9 months away from Peyton was worth a lifetime of regret for not making the right decision.

Finally at the end of the week, I had made my decision. The sleepover with Haley and Anna had made it a little easier. I sat there, outwardly angry that Peyton had found a new friend, and inwardly relieved- if I left, she wouldn't be left alone.

And so I did- without a phone call, text, or email, I said goodbye to Tree Hill and to Peyton. If I had known I'd be gone 10 years instead of 9 months, maybe I would have done things differently. Maybe I wouldn't have gone. But I didn't, and I did, and it's done.

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So now you know why Brooke left, and her thought process. How'd you guys like seeing Brooke's POV? Feeling a little more for her?

I have had some requests for flashbacks of Brooke having Brody- which I didnt write. So I will be working on that flashback for you guys


	17. One Small Step for Anna

A/N: As much as I hate to do this, I am going to have to put this story on hiatus. Some unexpected hardships have come up with school, and the next 3 weeks are going to be murder, so I wont have the time to even post what Ive already written. So I will post today, Friday, and next Monday Tink's chapters since you guys have been waiting for them, and then Ill be gone until the 21st. I hope you still review.

Anon- I loved each and every one of your insightful reviews! The time you took to go back and review every single chapter really made me feel good, plus I enjoyed your insights. You are right on, my friend!

Chocolatemud- What a reaction! Yes! Brooke was being very selfish in her decisions. It was all about her! Which is why Lucas was lucky she actually decided to have the baby and send it to him, when the other alternatives were not so great. But calm down. It was ten years ago, and we already knew Brooke abandoned Brody and lied to Lucas. Now we just know why. And why would what was just shared piss Peyton off? If anything, Peyton may realize Brooke cared about her even through all of what went on. BTW I love long reviews.

Kelsey- what is componitent? Brooke season 1 was a character I didn't like much, but I loved her later, so I get what you are tryna say (I think).

Mcgirl- Its okay you aren't a fan of Brooke. Even if you never get to loving Brooke again, at least you have Leyton goodness all over the place.

A-dono- Thank you! I agree sometimes it seemed Brookes actions were more for drama in the show than because it made sense. Maybe they too were trying to make you think she was pregnant too during those epis.

LPfan4ever- Im glad you're feeling for Brooke. Brooke really is the one who's lost out in all of this.

2old4oth- I appreciate you reading, and any reviews you give I love to read. There will be more flashbacks because you have to catch up with Leyton's life for the past 10 years. But I mix it up with new chapters, so you wont get too bogged down with the past.

Tori- It was a tough decision for her, especially since she had to make the decision alone. Im glad you can see Brooke's side and know she wasn't totally heartless in her decision.

Kaily- Welcome! Julian is far off; weve gotta get through some flashbacks, but he is coming!

Luke-n-peyton- Im sorry! MD is not what Tink has. I was out of it last time.

Zarzk- I love season 5 Brooke too! Yay Brooke. I love the Breyton friendship.

Stagediva- congrats on the new apartment! I think Karen has done some of that for her, which allowed her to confront Lucas in the chapters before, because she was feeling more confident that her decision was a good one. At this point, I think it is more her making up for being gone for 10 years than for giving Brody to his dad.

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Chapter 16 One small step for Anna

July 10th 2016

Breakfast was a silent affair, at least among the adults. Brooke assumed that Lucas and Peyton were still digesting the information she had shared with them the night before, so the quiet was okay with her as well. It wasn't easy remembering that time in her life.

"Eat up, Anna banana. It's your favorite!" Brody encouraged, making Anna giggle at the nickname and pop a piece of French toast in her mouth, clapping with her brother as he cheered for her.

Lucas cracked a smile. "I don't think eating is part of her test, Einstein, 'cause if it were, this little bear would pass with flying colors."

"Grrrrr" Anna said helpfully, frowning her face up as she growled. Lucas and Peyton looked at her in amazement, while Brody grinned proudly. "That's right! A bear goes 'gggrrrrrr.' Yay! Anna!" Once again Tink clapped her hands as Brody cheered.

Peyton stood up and grabbed Brody into a hug, swinging him around as much as she could. She noticed with a pang that his head was to her shoulders; her little boy was growing up. "You are such a great big brother." She said to him, kissing him loudly on the forehead. "What else have you been teaching her?" She didn't realize how worried she really was about the next couple of hours until she felt the crushing relief at the knowledge that unbeknownst to them, Anna was learning new sounds.

A knock sounded at the door, and Brody eased out of Peyton's embrace. "I guess you'll have to see when Pat gets here." He said cheekily, as he skipped to the door and opened it.

"Hey Einstein."

"What's up Jamie?"

"Mom's waiting in the car, 'cause we're in a hurry. You ready?"

"Yup, let me say goodbye." Brody ran back to the table, calling out goodbye as he hugged Peyton where she stood, then Lucas around the neck, and ended by telling Anna to 'give him a kiss' then wiping off the excess drool when she eagerly laid her open mouth on her closed one. "Ugh, Tink! Remember, closed mouth kisses!"

"Don't talk to Tink like that!" Jamie said, as he came into the kitchen and walked up to Tink. "Can your favorite cousin have a kiss, too?" Jamie said cajoling, grinning as she obliged him by placing her open mouth on his cheek. He stood, wiping his face off with a frown. "Ok, maybe we do have to work on that. Bye Aunt Peyton, Uncle Lucas. Brooke. See you tonight!"

The two boys ran to the door, slamming it behind them. Anna looked after them, her face crumpling. Giant tears began to fall as she reached plaintively towards the entrance they had just left out of.

Lucas, ever the sucker for tears, plucked her out of the seat and began to dance around the room. "No, no, baby girl, don't cry. Daddy's here."

Anna shook her head and pouted, making a series of hand movements. "Boooo- deeeee."

"I know you want to go with Brody, but today you get to play with Daddy and Mommy all by yourself. And we can do whatever you want, if you can just stop crying for daddy." Lucas cajoled, kissing her hair as he continued to rock her in his arms.

Strains of music began to fill the room. In the face of the meltdown, no one had noticed Peyton heading towards the cd player.

Brooke didn't recognize the song, but whatever it was, Peyton and Lucas knew every lyric, and they sang it to Anna as Lucas continued to dance her about the room. Her tears quickly dried up as she giggled, holding tight to her father as he playfully twirled in a circle, then dipped her, passing her to Peyton, who did a quick two step around the room.

The vocals stopped and a guitar riff filled the room, causing Peyton to hold Anna across her body and strum her tiny belly with her fingers, as if she were rocking out to the guitar solo. Anna screeched and wiggled, deep belly laughs rolling out of her as her mother tickled her. The doorbell rang again and Lucas went to answer it, coming back to the kitchen to be followed by a tall red headed woman carrying what looked to be a carryon suitcase and some other bags.

"I see we're using Anna as a guitar again!" the woman quipped.

Peyton turned, straightening Anna up onto her hip. "Too many dishes on the table to lay her out and play the piano." Peyton joked. She walked over to the redhead while Lucas turned down the stereo. Brooke was surprised when Anna not only allowed herself to be plucked out of Peyton's grasp, but hugged the woman tightly and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Hello to you too bunny! I see we need to work on closed mouth kisses."

"Einstein said that just before he left!" Peyton laughed. "I guess everyone's tired of the drool."

"Hey Maggie." Lucas said, coming over to join Peyton.

"Good morning Lucas. I take it the tantrum didn't last too long this morning?" Maggie said, bouncing Anna on her hip. Brooke did her best not to be jealous of the stranger Anna felt so comfortable with.

"Not too long, hence the dancing and singing. Your idea about distraction worked big time when B-R-O-D-Y left."

"That's great! We want this little one in the best of moods today, don't we?" Maggie said, tickling Anna and making her chortle. "Ready to get started?"

Brooke seemed to have been forgotten as Lucas grabbed the Maggie woman's bag and headed downstairs, Peyton and Maggie following close behind.

Brooke debated whether or not to follow them or give them privacy, but curiosity won out, and she headed down as well. She hit the landing in time to see Lucas finish assembling what looked to be a mini high chair, and watched as Maggie placed Anna inside, handing her a duck to play with as she rummaged through her bags.

"Cack, cack!" Anna said, as she squeezed the duck and it squeaked.

Maggie casually stopped what she was doing and jotted down something on a piece of paper. "That's right, Anna! Can you tell me what that is? What goes 'quack quack'?"

Anna dropped the duck and made a motion with her hands. "That's right, a duck goes 'quack, quack.' Very good!" Maggie said before she turned and smiled at Lucas and Peyton. "I see you've been working with her."

Peyton smiled and shrugged. "That's all Brody, and I'm suspecting Scooter, though I can't be sure unless you pull out a car and she makes some noises."

Sure enough, Maggie pulled out a tiny matchbox car, which Anna grabbed eagerly and began to roll it on her tray. "Vroom Vroom!" she said gleefully.

Maggie laughed delightedly. "Oh to have older brothers like those!" She knelt in front of the little girl and clapped her hands. "Let's see what else our little baby genius has learned, shall we?"

Brooke watched as Anna began her 'test', putting shape puzzles together, playing with dolls and cups and spoons, scribbling on pieces of paper, playing with blocks. She noticed how tightly Peyton's hand gripped Lucas' when the test began, and how Lucas smile got wider and wider as time passed.

Brooke didn't understand any of it. How was playing with toys a test? But she didn't say anything, just watched as Maggie interacted with Anna, asking her to point to body parts and pieces of clothing, only to later ask her what the body parts were. True to form, Anna didn't say anything, but made the motions with her hands whenever she was asked a question.

Towards the end, Maggie called Lucas over, using him to encourage Anna to crawl, attempt to stand, and walk. While she crawled without difficulty, she could only stand when she used the couch as support, and her attempts to walk were met with success only when she was allowed to use the couch to make it to where her father crouched in wait.

Finally it seemed like Maggie was done. She left Anna playing happily with the toys and came over to sit with the adults on the couch.

"I must say, Anna is looking great! I have to score this, but from what I can see, she has caught up in almost all of the areas. The only two areas I am concerned with are her expressive language and gross motor skills. She does understand what I'm asking, and its great that she knows the signs so she can communicate, but its time for you guys to push her to use her words, because until she actually says them I can't give her credit and she will always score low. So its time to move her away from using signs, since her chart says there's no medical reason for her not to be speaking. "

Maggie looked at her watch. Well, now. I'm going to get out of here, since Pat should be here…" A doorbell sounded upstairs. "…any minute." You guys take care, and you'll be hearing from me with the results in a couple of days." Gathering her things, she made her way up the stairs. "Ill let Pat in on my way out. Take care guys."

Anna waved bye as everyone else said their goodbyes. Peyton picked up Anna excitedly, placing kisses over her face and hair. "Momma's so proud of her big girl! And Daddy's proud, and Brody and Scooter and Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan and Granma and Granpa…"

Lucas snatched Anna from Peyton's arms and resumed the list. "And Lily and KJ, and Jamie and Brian, and Andre, and Jenny and JJ and Uncle Skills and Uncle Jake and Aunt Faith and Aunt Joy…" Lucas tossed Anna up in the air as he finished, and her laughter filled the room. Their giddiness made Brooke wonder if their quietness at breakfast was more from worry about the test than her revelations from the past.

"…and Pat! What are we so proud of Anna for today?" A jovial, dark haired man entered the room and stood with his hands on his hips.

Lucas tucked Anna into his chest and came over to shake Pats hand. "Anna did great on her evaluation."

"Oh ho! Does that mean I'm gonna be hearing some new words with the mouth and not just with the hands?"

"I think so." Lucas said proudly.

"Well then!" The man named Pat clapped his hands. Let's get started!"

Brooke watched as Pat showed Anna a series of flashcards, smiling briefly when Peyton asked him eagerly to start with animals. She really wasn't sure what the big deal was, but a tear slipped down Peyton's cheek and she buried her face in Lucas' chest as Pat went through common animals and Anna did a hand motion for each one, but also made the appropriate sounds.

"What's this, Anna?"

"Ssssss"

"That's right, a snake. What about this?"

"Oo Ooo Ahh Ahh"

Laughter went throughout the room as Anna scratched under her arms instead of making the sign for monkey.

"And this?"

"Meow"

Pat ran through several more animal cards, then turned to Lucas and Peyton. "I must say this is the breakthrough we've been waiting for." Peyton nodded tearfully and Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose.

"But this doesn't mean we stop. If anything, you guys are gonna have to be harder on her. Now that we know she can make sounds, its time to encourage her to use the words instead of the signs to get what she wants." He shook his finger at Lucas. "And try not to give in to the puppy dog eyes, Mr. 'Wrapped around Anna's finger.'"

Lucas just grinned. "I'll try to be strong, but she's got her mother's eyes, even if they are blue."

Peyton kissed his shoulder in appreciation as Pat harummphed. "Well, do your best. Ok, lets move on and work on getting Ms. Anna some new words!"

Pat turned to Anna and placed a cheerio onto her tray. Anna grabbed it up and popped it into her mouth, grinning, and making the sign for 'more.'

Pat kept up a running commentary as he worked with Anna. "Now that we know she can make the sounds, do your best not to give her what she asks for until she says the word."

"More, Anna? You want more?" Pat made the gesture as he said the word.

Anna didn't speak, just continued to use the sign.

"More? You want more?" Pats patience didn't waver as he tried to get Anna to make some sort of vocal approximation.

Brooke was amazed at how much effort was going into teaching the little girl a simple word, something she had always taken for granted was a common enough occurrence. You talked to a kid, and one day they talked back. Apparently sometimes it wasn't that simple.

Finally, Pat was able to coax a "mmmah" out of Anna, and he rewarded her with the cheerio, explaining to the adults in the room that at this point, any sound that was close was good enough, since the intent was to encourage Anna to use her voice instead of using the signs.

Pat used this trick with other words as they worked on Anna's speech. She was able to get out of her high chair, and freely moved about the room, with Pat telling her the names of objects as she touched them, pairing the signs with the sounds. And by the end of the session, Anna triumphantly asked for 'mo'' when handed her final snack of the day.

Brooke followed as they waved goodbye to Pat from the door, Anna clutched in Peyton's arms and waving bye as well.

"Ohhh baby girl! Look at all the words you learned!" Peyton said, squeezing Anna tightly.

"Yup!" Lucas said proudly, "Only a couple hundred more to go!"

Peyton glared at Lucas. "Not funny." She broke into a smile. "Ok, a little funny, but only because she's gonna learn every single one of them."

"Because my baby's a genius…" Peyton danced to the kitchen with Anna, Lucas following behind making faces at a giggling Anna. Brooke trailed behind, feeling a little foolish and a little voyeuristic as she watched the family interaction- neither Peyton nor Lucas had spoken to her since breakfast, but they hadn't shut her out either. Brooke actually had a sneaking suspicion that this was the reason Karen had her stay home today- this was a chance to have her unasked questions answered.

Lunch was what apparently was Anna's favorite meal- grilled cheese sandwiches. Lucas manned the stove, toasting both sides to a golden perfection for his 'golden girl.' The adult lunch was a little more sophisticated- lunch meat was placed in between the two pieces of cheese.

After lunch, Peyton removed a now sleepy Anna from her high chair and made her way up the stairs, surprising Brooke- Lucas usually was the one with Anna on his hip, but today the roles were reversed, and Anna wasn't fighting it.

Brooke picked up the plates and placed them in the sink, smiling uncomfortably as Lucas said thank you. She wasn't sure how he would be towards her, their uneasy truce called due to the repercussions of their fight Sunday was for the benefit of Brody, and he wasn't here.

"I know you probably have a lot of questions." Lucas said, surprising Brooke at his calmness. He sighed. "And I didn't say it before, but I appreciate you not asking Peyton about Anna before now."

"I didn't want to offend her by saying the wrong thing, or making assumptions." Brooke said finally, placing the last dish in the sink. "I've been doing that a lot lately, and it usually doesn't turn out well."

Lucas leaned against the counter, facing Brooke. "Well, I just wanted to say thank you. If you had asked, Peyton would have told you, but it's a pretty emotional subject for her and I'm glad she didn't have to relive it by sharing with you."

Brooke grabbed a dishrag and went to wipe off the table, trying to hide her disappointment. She was hoping to get the story from Peyton, but Lucas' words made sense, and she wasn't willing to hurt Peyton to appease her curiosity. "I understand."

Brooke heard his footsteps head towards the basement door. They stopped, and she scrubbed harder, holding back the tears. This was her penance for being gone, and she would bear it stoically.

"When you finish demolishing my table, I'll be downstairs if you want to talk." Brooke looked up to meet Lucas' steady gaze. "She would want you to know."

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So now you know what Tink can do. The next chapter is Tink's story. You might want to have some tissues ready.


	18. 5 months, 2 days

A/N: Got out of class early, got an extension on a paper due Friday, and that means extra time for an update on Wednesday. So Im updating today. And since this is a 2 parter, as soon as I get 40 reviews Ill update again, or Friday, whichever comes first. Thank you to everyone who believes I will come back. Cause I will. As soon as I finish these requirements before the deadline. So wish me luck, and thanks for the luck already wished.

Ok, so I realized I lied, even though I didn't mean to. I thought I had told you what was wrong with Anna in Chapter 17 but Lucas never actually says what it is until Chapter 20, which you wont see for weeks. So I am just going to tell you. Anna just has a speech and motor delay due to hospitalization. She spent most of her first year in the hospital, with tubes (preventing her from learning to talk) and bedridden (preventing her from learning to walk), so she is just playing catch-up. I'm sorry if this is a let down for those of you who were expecting something major, but in the story, they were never sure if she would be able to catch up, because many babies never do.

Shout to Kelsey's Evolving! Go read her story- ARCHWAYS AND ENDINGS! Its well written and worth the read, even if she hasn't decided who to ship yet! ;) Maybe if more LPers join the crowd, it'll sway her mind? Right, Kelsey? Right? hehehehehee

Chocolatemud- Maggie is her coordinator. She gives Anna the official tests in all areas, then signs her up for the therapies she needs. Though you saw motor, she also did fine motor (scribbling), and cognitive (playing with toys). You were right on about Pat though. You were close about the autism, but Anna is very sociable, so autism wouldn't work in her case. Social conversation for toddlers is pointing to objects, eye contact, sounds, displaying eagerness, that kind of thing, so even though toddlers cant talk, they can have 'convos' with people. Do you still want me to PM you? I figured Id just give you a chapter instead of waiting til Friday. :)

4321- This chapter is sad. So is the next one. Sorry, but I couldn't have all fluff. Good news is, its in the past, so you know it works out in the end.

Skittlebox- You called it! Go you!

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Chapter 17 5 months, 2 days

February 1, 2014 6am

Theirs was the first planned pregnancy in Tree Hill. Well, that may have been pushing it, but it was definitely the first planned pregnancy in the Scott history. Peyton joked they were turning into a Norman Rockwell painting, with their 2.5 kids and house with the porch swing. He didn't coach little league, but he was a coach, and she still hadn't gotten the hang of cookies, but everything else had been mastered.

And it was true. They were married, college graduates, and employed, so it was the perfect time, as Peyton put it, to 'give him his little girl.' They had been trying since a little after William turned 2 and a half, liking the difference in ages between Brody and William, close enough to play with each other, but not so close there was a baby on each hip. Peyton's accident had thrown their timeline off, but by summer, she had been cleared by the doctor, and they were at it again.

Lucas chuckled to himself as he pulled his jacket on. Peyton always joked about the power of the Scott sperm, but he was starting to believe it. Not even 6 weeks after the okay from the doctor, and Peyton was knocking on his office door at school, handing him gaily wrapped box. Inside lay a tiny pink sweatshirt with the words Keith's body shop' emblazoned on the back.

"_I like this whole having a planned pregnancy thing. It was great being excited to tell you, instead of scared out of my mind." Peyton quipped, after he pulled her onto his lap and expressed his thanks and appreciation over her 'gift'. _

"_And who knew how creative you could be?" Lucas said, nuzzling her hair as he rested his hand on her still flat stomach. _

"_I think anything beats, 'Don't freak out okay?'" They laughed at the memory of how she broke the news about William to him. _

"_Well, I love it." He pressed a kiss to her lips at each sentence. "I love my gift. I love you. I love the newest little Scott." He nuzzled her nose and rested his forehead on hers. _

"_But I have to ask. What's with the pink?" _

"_Well," she said cheekily. "I have a feeling this one is gonna be a girl." _

"_How do you know? Its too soon!" Lucas said, confused. _

_Peyton raised a brow. "All I know is it better be a girl for your sake, because after this Scott, I'm closing up shop until they figure out a way to get rid of morning sickness and labor pains."_

Unable to resist, he made his way back up the stairs, tiptoeing so as not to wake his wife as he made his way over to the bed and stared down at her sleeping form. She was having such a difficult time with this pregnancy; her joke about closing the factory fast becoming a reality. They'd found out a month ago they were having a girl; Peyton teased that the gods knew it was his last chance and had granted his wish, and Lucas replied that the baby had no choice but to be a girl because Scott men did not wear pink hoodies.

They had truly been blessed with William's pregnancy; beyond morning sickness Peyton had no problems. But this baby was wreaking havoc on her body- morning sickness was more like all day sickness, and 5 months into it had still not gone away. The pregnancy was also messing with Peyton's blood pressure, so much that the doctor warned the family about making sure she did not have any stress or overexcitement- she wasn't on bed rest, but they were restricted from making love and she had drastically cut back on her hours at the studio.

"Anything for Anna," Peyton would say rubbing her belly, whenever the doctor added yet another restriction to her ever growing list. 3 year old William was a little miffed because Peyton could not pick him up safely, but they were lucky with his personality- he did not like to be carried often anyway and so was easily mollified by cuddling with his momma on the couch.

7 year old Brody had taken is lead from his father, catering to Peyton's every need.

"_You wanna blanket, momma?" _

"_How 'bout some milk? It does a body good!" _

"_I made you a sandwich" he said, carrying the plate in the living room, Peyton's spot of choice as her pregnancy progressed, holding it carefully with two hands. _

"_Oh thank you!" Peyton said, "That was just what I wanted. You are such a big help to me and a great big brother to your little sister!" Brody puffed out his chest as she showered him with praise. _

_When she told him how good the sandwich was, honest little boy that he was, he couldn't help but come clean. "Well, Daddy made the sandwich. But I made sure it didn't fall on the floor."_

Thinking of his sons, he pressed a kiss to his wife's forehead and made his way to the hallway, unable to resist the temptation to go to their rooms and stare down at their sleeping forms, smiling as he viewed evidence at what a lucky man he was.

"I love you," Peyton murmured as she turned and snuggled deeper into the pillow at the touch of his lips.

"I love you too," Lucas said, smiling when Peyton still didn't wake up. It took feats of gargantuan proportions to pull the woman out of slumber. But as least she wasn't grumpy anymore. Lucas mentally patted himself on the back- he made sure his wife looked forward to mornings now, a sacrifice he made for the good of mankind. On a guys night out at TRIC Jake had asked him how he'd done it, Nathan listening in curiously, since both Jake and Nathan, having dated Peyton, had firsthand knowledge that being next to Peyton Sawyer was not a fun place if she awoke too soon.

"I just kiss her awake." Lucas replied, smirking into his beer. No matter how the men probed, he would never tell them more than that. He wondered if they ever guessed that her mouth were not the lips he kissed to awaken his sleeping beauty.

Lucas shook the thoughts out of his head, being intimate not what he wanted on his mind as he went to check on his sleeping sons, and right before he had to leave. Haley and Joy were coming over to keep Peyton company and watch the boys, since he would be gone all day on an errand. He told Peyton the day before he had to go to UNC to meet with an advisor about his second novel, but the truth was he was going to pick up her Valentines day gift, which just so happened to be in a jewelry store in Raleigh Durham. Haley was the only one in on where he would actually be in case of emergencies, but he didn't want to lie too extensively to his wife, so the back story had the same general location.

Lucas crept over to Brody's bunkbed, smiling at the little boy sleeping on the top bunk. He was such his father's son, his room neat and tidy, even in repose not messing up the covers. He slept on his back, one arm bent under his head, just like Lucas had done all his life, until a certain blonde joined his bed and made it more pleasant for him to sleep on his side with his arm around her waist. The little boy also loved heights, which was why he and Peyton talked about getting him a loft bed for his birthday, since he, Jamie, and Andre had become like the three musketeers and more beds were needed for the sleepovers.

Another smile crossed his face as he crept into William's room, the feat a little more difficult since he had to navigate the myriad of trucks and toys that lit up and made noise and were housed in the middle of the floor.

If Brody was all Lucas, William was all Peyton. Lucas tugged at the covers that had been kicked off and spread them lovingly over the little boy who lay sprawled in the bottom of his bunk. Lucas had been adamant that the boys have their own room, since he never had to share a room growing up and they could now afford it. Peyton, who always wanted siblings, thought the boys would prefer sharing a room for company. They had compromised, hence the bunkbeds. Each boy had their own room, but somewhere to sleep in the event they wanted to share. Every once in a while William went to sleep in his room and woke up in Brody's, but it wasn't often, and Peyton finally conceded that with the vast differences of the boy's personalities, separate rooms kept the fighting to a minimum.

Having checked on his family, Lucas made his way out the house and began the trek to his mother's house. It wasn't often he was alone, and he was making the most of it, borrowing Keith's mustang to ride to Durham, a car free from car seats and toddler cds. His only wish was that Peyton was with him, road trips being their thing, but if she was with him they'd be taking the Comet, making… no memories in the back seat since she was on restrictions. Lucas sighed.

Just thinking about his wife and her current fragile state made him want to turn around and cancel the trip, the cold feeling in his gut telling him that something bad would happen if he were away. This wasn't the first time his nerves jumped at the thought of being away from Peyton and something happening to her. But each time he left, nothing happened, and everyone else chalked it up to being worried about his wife.

Lucas didn't care how irrational he was being. He couldn't lose her, wouldn't lose her. Her or Anna, as they had named their baby girl, though if he had to choose, Peyton would win, hands down. He could have another child, but Peyton Scott was irreplacable.

Once again the head was shaken as he attempted to remove the negative thoughts from his head. He would go to Durham, get Peyton's gift, come home, and everything would be fine.

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3pm

"Hey momma, is it time to get up yet?" Scooter said, creeping down the stairs.

Peyton looked over the couch where she was resting to lock eyes with her rambunctious toddler. "No Scooter, it's not time for you to get up yet, just like I told you the last time you came creeping down the stairs. When Aunt Haley or Aunt Joy comes to get you, then its time to get up."

William sat down on the steps and crossed his arms. "But I'm still not sleepy." He whined.

"William Nathan Scott! If you don't get your butt back into bed, I'm…" Peyton began, sitting up to show that she meant business. She was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Haley and Joy were downstairs, cleaning up the mess the kids left in the basement, so Peyton heaved herself off the couch and made her way to the door. Little Anna was just barely showing, but with her high blood pressure, sitting and standing often made Peyton dizzy.

"Daddy said you can't lift me, so you can't make me go to bed." William warned as she passed by the steps.

Peyton ignored the little boy's taunts- she would deal with him after she answered the door. Her father always said that one day she would have a child that was just like her. She'd have to remember to yell at him for cursing her, because William was her carbon copy and he truly gave her a run for her money.

She opened the door to find two police officers standing on her stoop.

"Peyton Scott?"

"Yes?" she answered, a cold feeling settling in her stomach. She had seen enough shows to know what the police officers at her door meant. The only question was who the victim was- her father or her brother. She had been dreading this day for years, but with the risky nature of their jobs, she had resigned herself to the possibility.

"We're sorry to tell you this…" Peyton closed her eyes. "but your husband, Lucas Scott, was in a car crash this afternoon…"

Peyton's eyes flew open.

"…and he didn't make it."

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"You know, we should totally open a business." Haley said as she folded the clothes, separating them neatly into piles.

"Give Merry Maids a run for their money?" Joy joked, carrying in the latest load from the laundry room. Having finished straightening up the basement from the Scott tornados, better known as Jamie, Brian, Brody, and William, Haley and Joy decided to give Peyton a hand and do a load of laundry.

Haley laughed. "It could be a branch off of the label. You know, Mood Music Maids. We sing while we clean."

"You forget, I run a label because I have no talent myself, because you know if I could hit a note, I'd be on the stage instead of behind the desk." Joy reminded Haley, beginning to fold the clothes in her basket. She ran her hands lovingly over one of William's tiny shirts. She couldn't wait until this was her reality full-time, putting toddlers and their siblings to sleep and sneaking in a load of laundry during naptime. She and Jake wanted to give Jenny time to adjust to her being officially apart of the family, but Joy was beginning to think that maybe they were ready to add to their family of three.

And speaking of toddlers…"You know, its been a while since Scooter's come down to ask if it was time to get up yet. Think he's given up?" Joy asked, grinning at the thought of the little boy's tenacity.

Haley laughed. "If he's anything like Peyton, the answer's…"

"MOMMA!"

Haley and Joy looked at each other in horror as William's scream resounded throughout the house. Dropping the clothes, Haley raced up the stairs, Joy right behind her. They skidded to a halt as they rounded the corner. William was kneeling on the floor, sobbing wildly next to an unconscious Peyton.

"I'm sorry I got out of bed Momma. I won't do it again. Wake up Momma. I didn't mean to make you mad. I'll be a good boy and listen. Momma, wake up!"

"Joy, call 911." Haley whispered, barely able to get the words past her throat constricted with fear as she rushed over to Peyton's side, pulling William into her chest with one hand, the other shakingly going to Peyton's throat, feeling for a pulse. She barely registered the open door, or the police officer calling for an ambulance just outside, all her attention on trying to pull William away from his mother when he refused to let go.

"Miss, there's no need to call 911. An ambulance is on the way." The officer said, coming into the doorway. He moved out of the way of his partner, who had run to the car to get the medical kit, and was busy checking Peyton's vital signs.

"How far along is she?" The man who was working on Peyton asked.

"5 months," Joy said, answering the question as Haley tried to calm William down.

"Your mommy's okay. The police men are gonna help her. But she needs you to be brave William, and let them help her. Come with Aunt Haley, baby." Haley was able to calm William down enough to lift him in her arms and place him on her hip, as she quickly made her way up the stairs and stood at the top of the steps, debating. Did she wake Brody up to watch his brother? No, William would just tell him what had happen and then she'd have two kids to comfort. If she put William in his bedroom, he might wake Brian with his cries. Making up her mind, she headed to Luke and Peyton's room, laying William on the bed.

"I need you to be a big boy for me and your momma right now Scooter, and lay here until I come get you. Can you do that for me?" Haley pleaded.

"I'll be good, Aunt Haley." William sobbed. "I wont get up. Tell Momma, okay? I didn't mean to make her smessed. Tell Momma Im listenin' now and she doesn't have to be smessed no more."

"Oh baby." She had no idea what happened, so she had no idea what to tell William to make him feel better without lying but "Ill tell her."

She hurried back downstairs and went over to the officer who stood by the door, looking out for the ambulance that was on the way.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Haley asked.

"Are you family?" The officer said, turning to Haley.

"I'm her sister-in-law." Haley said.

"I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am, but your brother, Lucas Scott was in a car accident, and he didn't survive." He twirled his hat in his hands. "We didn't know she had a condition, or we would waited to tell you the news."

They were interrupted by the officer who was monitoring Peyton. "Call the ambulance and update them. We've got a pregnant woman, 24 weeks, going into labor, BP steadily dropping."

The wail of the sirens filled the air as the ambulance pulled up to the house and stopped, several EMT's jumping out and running towards the house.

Haley tried to ignore the pain that threatened to crush her and take her under, pushing it to the side as she focused on the next steps to helping Peyton. They had just lost Lucas, bad things came in threes, and Peyton and the baby were already in danger. Hands shaking, she dialed the number that lead to her saving grace, her rock when the world tilted on its axis.

"Nathan?" she whimpered, a sob breaking through her wall as the sound of his voice beckoned her to let it all go. "Nathan, I need you."

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Sorry to cliffhanger, but it was getting too long, and this is a good place to stop. As with all two page flashbacks, you can see the next flashback tomorrow if I get 40 reviews.

Did you like the baby flashbacks of leyton family in the bigger flashback? I wanted to give you guys some glimpse into their lives and the boys' personalities.


	19. Looking for a Miracle

A/N: Guys, you are so awesome with your quick reviews! 41 already! Oh, thanks for pointing out the fact that I forgot the 'didnt' in the statement from the police. Lucas didn't survive.

So here you go, the final installment before I go on hiatus. I will miss reading your awesome reviews, probably as much as you will miss reading my chapter, but dont worry, I will be back. My guesstimate is the 21st, but please keep in mind I am saying that on the second with hopes that I will get all my projects completed by then. Thats what happens when you write fanfiction instead of your papers over the summer I guess. lol. So, anywho, on with what happened.

Remember, """" means its from the show, and I didn't make it up.\

crazyjan- good guess!

Leytonloveforever- This is a flashback, so yes Lucas is alive!

A-dono and bkworm52- Good catch! No, you havent missed Peyton's accident, and just like you, Brooke will have the same question after hearing the story. So just like her, you'll have to wait until someone explains it in another flashback. But feel free to speculate! hee hee hee

mthorne13- yay, your back, right when Im leaving. :( but its all good. Ill be back, and then we'll both be back, and itll be all good!

Kelsey! Yes I did! Now, you owe *evil grin* I see an LP ending in my future. lol. Just kidding, girl, write what the muses tell you to.

- Im glad to see that I was able to portray a realistic scenario. And glad to see you made it out okay!

mcgirl- Another Brooke-less chapter for you. :)

Skittlebox- do you have access to my computer or something? Are you reading chapters before I post them? Your insight is awesome. Looking for my Big Big Mistake babe! Even if I dont review in the next couple of weeks, know that I am reading when I can. Thats awesome about your niece. Baby Anna had to go home on oxygen after 5 months of fighting, so your little one is def a trooper!

chocolatemud- No, Peyton was 5 months, 2 days along, so Anna was 4 months early. And Lucas was in a car accident, so he is dead (on feb 1, 2014), but they had to tell Haley again since she wasnt there the first time. Did I make a mistake somewhere? I was rushin. Ill go check cause it should say he didnt survive. Sorry for the headache.

Fredothechimp- Im glad you like Brody's story! And thank for the review! It seems I am growing as a writer, since this is my latest story and you like it better than my first one! You had a good guess about what happened to Lucas. Brooke has definitely missed alot, more than she realized.

Anon- Im glad you got what I was going for. I always wondered what hold Brooke had over Peyton, though the relationship turned out to be a good one once Brooke got over her selfishness and grew into a better person. They are so at ease with Maggie and Pat because they have been coming around almost daily for the past 2 years. Since Anna started out with such difficulty, she was in something called an Infant and Toddlers Program (its called something diffferent in every state, but most states have the free services), which allows her to get therapies for her delays in home as much as she needs (it ranges from daily to bimonthly 30 minute sessions for each area of development). I didnt write all that, cause I didnt want to bog down the story, but that was the back story in my head. Yay, you worked with kids too? Isnt it fun trying to get them to perform for complete strangers! I worked in a NICU, and in a follow-up clinic, so that where my idea for Anna came from. I met parents of all kinds, but I especially loved the ones like Leyton, who do exist, though they are rarer than Id like. With their crazy childhoods, I just really see Leyton as being the coolest parents ever, so I write them that way. And I feel the same way about dramatic chapters. As I told someone else in a previous heavy chapter, I learned that technique from watching Xena, where during really heavy shows they always started the epi out with a light and fun piece between the two main characters, so I have run with the idea. As always, love the time you take to review all the chapters. Im gonna miss 'talkin' with you, but Ill be back! No more than a month more than likely.

stagediva- Dont worry about it! Im bout to put my story on hiatus because of school, I definitely understand not reviewing. My chapters are prewritten, and it still takes an hour to respond to the reviews and 'fix' the document in the manager, which is why I cant ud even though I have the chapters- I just dont have time. And for the next 3 weeks, I too will be reading stories without reviewing when I can squeeze out the time, because writing reviews take time, which is why i appreciate all the ones I am given! And I dont know if you are gonna get both Brooke with her parents AND Brooke having Brody. We shall see, cause I havent written those chapters yet.

Lalez- I think I made an error. The police should have said Lucas didnt survive.

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Chapter 18 Looking for a miracle

February 2, 2014

""You know, if you keep letting these root beer floats go to waste, I'm gonna have to start drinking them." Lucas said as he poured the second float of the day.

A steady beeping filled the room. ""I'm kidding. It'll be here when you wake up."" He said, laughing softly. He had been pouring a root beer float at each meal, hoping to have it ready for her for when she woke up and he broke the news to her about their daughter. Their precious Anna.

He breathed heavily. ""You know who else will be here when you wake up, Peyt. God, our beautiful daughter. She's…you should see her. She's amazing, Peyton."" Lucas smiled at the thought of his little girl, the one he'd been praying for ever since he decided he was going to make Peyton Sawyer Peyton Scott, a little girl with her eyes and hair. Her tiny eyes had yet to open and her tiny head was bald, but at this point she was alive, and that was all that mattered to him.

""She needs you. So do I."" A sheen of tears blurred his vision. "I need you to tell me its gonna be okay, and I need you to let her know that Sawyer's are fighters, and she can do this. You need to wake up Peyton, and tell her she's gonna make it and she has no choice but to survive. She needs you to be her example baby, be her example and open those eyes and come back to me." He laid his head on the bed and let the tears flow. "Please come back to me." He whispered softly.

"I can't do this without you."

_The day before-_

_It was about 6 pm when Lucas finally made it home. He trudged wearily to the front door and rang the bell. It had been a hellish day, and he needed to see his wife. The cold feeling had become a burning in his gut, and he wanted to reassure himself that he was worrying for nothing. Peyton was fine- Haley and Joy were taking care of her today, and after she paid the cabbie and scolded him for leaving his phone in the car, she would laugh at his fears, reassure him she was alright and cluck sympathetically at the day he'd had. _

_He waited impatiently for the door to open, but no one came. Frowning, he looked around, finally noticing that Haley's car wasn't in the driveway. _

_He reached into his pocket to call Haley, only to remember that he no longer had a phone, just as he no longer had a wallet, just as he no longer had keys, which is why he needed to call Haley in the first place. _

_He debated asking the cabbie to drive him to his mom's house or the café, but at 6 oclock, he had no idea where she'd be, and didn't want to risk arriving at another location and there being no one there. Heading around to the back, he pulled out the loose brick and got the spare key, letting himself into the back door. Hurrying to the emergency fund, he pulled out the several hundred dollars he owed the cab driver and left out the front door to pay him, making sure to get a receipt. As soon as he could file a claim for his missing car, he would make sure he included the cab fare home. Grabbing the spare keys from the kitchen, he hopped into the family car and began the search for his missing family. _

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_It was like they had all disappeared. There was no one at the café, his mom's house, Naley's, Skills, or Jake's. They weren't at the Rivercourt, and while they all hung out on occasion, he couldn't see everybody going out to a restaurant- when the entire gang got together, it was always at someone's house, especially with the amount of kids they had between them. Stopping at a stoplight on his way back to the house, he hit his head against the steering wheel. _

_The house! He had just spent the past hour driving around looking for everyone, when he could have just stayed home and called from the house phone._

_In the age of cell phones, he had forgotten about house phones. They wouldn't have even had one if Peyton hadn't insisted it was a necessity with kids in the house, in case an emergency happened and the cell phones didn't work. Glancing to his right, he realized something else- he had also forgotten about pay phones. Not bothering to go home, he pulled over at the next payphone and searched the car frantically for change._

_Finding enough, he called Haley's cell phone first. _

"_Hello?"_

"_Haley, It's Luke. Where are you guys?" _

_A moan sounded over the phone, and Lucas heard a clatter. "Haley? Haley!" Lucas yelled into the phone, wondering what was going on. And where was his wife?_

"_Who is this and what did you say to my wife, you asshole!" Nathan's angry voice sounded over the phone._

"_uh I said, "Its Luke, where are you guys?" Lucas said, confused as to why Nathan would be so mad. "Nathan, what's going on?"_

"_Luke, is that you?" A breathy laugh sounded over the phone. "I never thought I would be so happy to hear your voice. Where are you?" _

"_I'm at a pay phone downtown. And I'm not gonna even ask what that's all about. Where are you and what have you done with my wife?" Lucas asked, cutting to the chase. _

"_I'm at Tree Hill Memorial, and I need you to get here as soon as possible. I'll explain it when you get here. Hurry."_

He had made it to the hospital in record time, rushing up to the floor Nathan had given him, only to be bombarded by crying females, crying children, and relieved looking friends who were more like brothers. Nathan, the most coherent one, explained the situation rapidly, how police officers had come to the house and told Peyton he was dead, and how the stress sent her into hypertensive shock and premature labor. They tried to stop the labor, but when her BP wouldn't go down, they were forced to deliver the baby via C-section so they could safely manage Peyton's condition.

Haley was the one who was forced to make the decision to save Peyton or the baby first, since delivering the baby this early meant that there was only a 39% chance of survival. Having thought she'd already lost Lucas, she made the decision to save Peyton, no question. She didn't want to be responsible for the Scott kids losing both parents by trying to save the baby's life when there was no guarantee the labor could be stopped and the baby would survive. Anna Scott was born at 6:03 pm, the same time her father was breaking into his own house.

As he raced across town, nurses fought to find a pulse, to help her breathe, to keep her warm, as they pulled the lifeless baby from her mother's womb, 16 weeks too early. There was no cry of life, no tears of joy when Anna was born, only quiet _"Please God please God,"_ from a grandmother who wasn't aware she was praying out loud, and couldn't tell you if it was for her stillborn grandbaby or her unconscious daughter-in-law.

Her prayers were partially answered when the nurse called exitedly,_ "I've got a pulse,"_ and the baby was quickly placed on a ventilator to help her breathe, hooked up to monitors, wrapped in cellophane, and placed in a baby warmer in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, while the doctors fought to save her mother's life.

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She didn't want to wake up. Waking up meant facing a world where her husband was gone, where her baby girl was taken from her too soon. It was too soon.

She didn't mean to faint, didn't mean to go into shock, forcing preterm labor and making the decision to take her daughter from the womb 4 months too soon. She knew the odds, knew what the sinking feeling in the chest that could feel nothing because of the drugs they pumped through her veins to keep her alive at the cost of her daughters life meant. She knew what the lack of a cry when they pulled her daughter out of her womb via C-section meant, and watched detached from above as they tried to save her failing body.

They could try all they wanted to. She was done with the world that had taken away everything she loved. She closed her eyes and let go, floating away to where she knew she would reunite with both of her mothers, Anna and Ellie, and she would reunite with Lucas and Anna and be a family again. She floated further and further away from the room where they struggled frantically to revive her, retrieving the paddles and pressing them to her chest, waiting to hear the steady beeping in a room that currently heard

_'Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'_

"Hold on, baby girl. Momma's coming for you." Peyton thought as the last vestiges of her past life began to slip away.

"_MOMMA!"_

"William?!" The final tether holding her to the world pulled tight as Peyton stopped, the peacefulness of her journey shattered by the pain she heard in her little boy's voice. William.

_Brody_.

Her son of her heart if not her body. He had already lost a mother. And here she was, about to let history repeat itself by allowing him to lose another. If there was ever any doubt in her mind which Scott boy she loved the most it was erased at that moment. And it was how it should be. She softly whispered her apologies to her second love, promising they would see each other again, and steadily turned her attention to making it toward the one who held the number one place in her heart.

"_We've got a pulse."_

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"Daddy, do you promise Momma's gonna wake up?"

"Yes son. I promise."

"Can you tell her I'm sorry I didn't go to sleep like I was supposed to?"

"Scooter, it wasn't your fault she fainted. She was sick. You've fought sleep lots of time and Momma was okay, wasn't she?" Lucas tried to console his son, lamenting the fact that with 2 bestselling novels under his belt, he still couldn't find the words to reassure his son he did not kill his mother.

"Yes it is, cause Aunt Haley said not to bother Momma cause the smess could kill her, and now shes dead."

"She's not dead!" Lucas said fiercely. He gentled his voice. "She's not dead, she's sleeping, and she'll wake up soon. The stress did not kill her." The doubtful look never left William's face, so Lucas resorted to the age old parent trick. "Just trust me okay? Daddy would never lie to you." Lucas pulled William into a hug and hoped to God he was telling the truth.

Meanwhile, Brody had left the waiting room and snuck in to see his mother, since the hospital policy said he couldn't visit without an adult until he was 14.

He walked over to the bed and sat down, gripping her hand. "Hey mommy. You've got a lot of floats here. If you don't wake up, I'm gonna drink 'em." He threatened. He waited a beat, but when the threat didn't work, he sighed.

"Can you please wake up Mommy? Please? Scooter thinks he killed you, and you gotta wake up and tell him it was because you heard Daddy was dead, and not 'cause he wouldn't take a nap."

"And you gotta wake up Momma, 'cause _I_ need you just 'cause." He began to cry silently.

"I'm right here baby. Don't cry." Peyton said hoarsely, struggling to move her unresponsive body to pull him to a hug. But all she could do was squeeze the hand that held her.

"Mommy!" Brody cried, bounding out of his chair and gripping her tightly in a hug. He continued to cry, overwhelmed by his emotions, and Peyton ignored the stabbing pain in her stomach as she pulled him closer, doing her best to comfort him.

"I'll never leave you, baby. Don't you know how much I love you? I came back for you, baby. For you, and Scooter." She said, rubbing his back comfortingly.

Brody looked up at her, tears clinging to his lashes. "And Daddy?"

Peyton smoothed the hair away from his face. "I will always love your father, but I couldn't join him in Heaven and leave you and Scooter alone here, could I?"

Brody looked at her strangely. "Heaven? Daddy's not in heaven. He's in the waiting room with Scooter!"

"He's…here?" Peyton said, shock making her stutter as she fought to hold back the urge to grill her seven year old son.

"Yup. I'll go get him!" Brody said, scooting off the bed and running towards the door.

"Stop running in the building!" Peyton called out, a mom down to her very bones.

Peyton finally let the tears fall as her very real husband made his way through the door full sprint. ""If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up."" She sobbed, holding out her arms as Lucas fell into them, kissing her frantically.

"What did I tell you?" he whispered fiercely. "Didn't I tell you not to do this to me again?"

"They told me you were dead!" Peyton wailed, still gripping him tightly.

"God Peyton, I almost lost you. Again. I can't take it anymore. You hear me?" He said, shaking her lightly.

"Never again." She whimpered as his lips pressed against hers. She couldn't help it, she ran her fingers over his face, his neck, his back, constantly reassuring herself that he was real, and not a ghost.

Pulling back, she gripped the sides of his face. "Not that Im complaining, but how are you alive?"

"The man they thought was me, wasn't." Lucas explained. "It was the guy who had stolen my car when I was out getting your Valentine's day present. It was just my bad luck that he ran into a semi making the car catch on fire before I could report the car stolen, and he must have been my general height and build." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I left my id and stuff in the car, so when they found him, they thought he was me." By the time I managed to get home, I found out you were here," he choked up.

"And you and Anna were in danger, and I couldn't save you." He began to cry silently, reliving the horror of the past 48 hours. Peyton bent her head over his and let her tears fall. "I'm so sorry about Anna. I'm sorry I lost our baby, Lucas."

He jerked his head up, almost banging hers in the process. "Anna's not dead, Peyton."

Peyton shook her head in disbelief. "But she was too early, not even half the babies born this early survive, and she wasn't breathing!" She gripped his arms. "Don't lie to me Lucas."

Dead serious, he repeated his statement. "Anna's not dead, Peyton. She's half Sawyer, half Scott, and all fighter."

Sobbing in relief, Peyton lay in his arms until the doctors came in to check her over. As soon as she was able, she was wheeled down by Lucas to the NICU.

"And this is Anna Scott." Lucas whispered, laying a gentle hand on the incubator that housed their daughter.

"Anna Kayley Scott." Peyton whispered, lightly running her hand over the sides of the machine that was helping her daughter fight for her life.

"Kayley?" Lucas questioned. They had never talked about middle names. When they were younger and talked about kids, Peyton talked about naming their daughter Anna Brooke, but when Brooke didn't return, the name also disappeared from their rememberance.

"I figure she needs all the help she can get. And what better help than to be named after the two strong women who beat all the odds to survive?" Peyton said, smiling tremulously.

"Karen and Haley." Lucas finished. He knelt and looked at his daughter, her tiny chest rising and falling from the air being forced into her throat. "You hear that baby girl? You have no choice but to survive now, Anna Kayley Scott. No choice at all."

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So now you know about the miracle baby. And now the hiatus starts. Let me know what you thought about the chapter. Id love to hear your opinion, even if you think the explanation was cheesy. It was a hard chapter to write since I don't usually do death drama.


	20. Should I Stay or Should I Go

A/N: Hey guys, I've missed our little 'conversations.' I wish I could say I am back full throttle, but I'm not. My dad is sick and in and out of the hospital on top of school (they didnt like my document so I have to do it again), which means that life continues to get in the way of B Davis' reconciliation with the fam.

That being said, interacting via fanfic helps keep me sane, so I have come to what I think is a doable solution. Mondays are the least crazy day in my life right now, so I will try to continuously post on Mondays (if my dad doesnt continue his habit of needing to go to the hospital Sunday night). When life hits a lull, daddy has a good week, etc., I will let you guys know at the end of a chapter when your lovely reviews can earn a next day update (I cant help it- Im addicted to reviews). Today is one of those days (that, and I love the next chapter and I think you will too). As soon as I get 40 reviews, I'll update the next chapter.

You know me, Author's notes are a small price to pay for my stories, especially since you can scroll down and skip it if you want. Ive been watching season 7, and I cant say Im impressed. I'm not even keeping the episodes to watch again! If anything, Im glad Leyton is gone, because they arent subjected to these strange, less than well-written storylines. The writing was going down a little season 6, but this is subpar for Tree Hill standards. Please keep in mind this is my opinion. I love Brulian, but their chemistry is a little off. Its a sad day when Jamie and Skills scenes are the best part of the show. Cant stand Quinn's storyline. "We grew apart..." Ummm, why is it that people conveniently forget that they promised for better OR WORSE?!?!?!? If your worst is 'growing apart', maybe some effort should be put into figuring out how to 'grow back together'. I was expecting some cheating, maybe some 'I got tired of him always being gone,' I'd even take some moral corruption. But 'we grew apart?' Please. Ok, Im off my soapbox.

I dont believe Nathan cheated. I think its really Clay's kid, and the girl is getting back at Clay by hurting Nathan. And call me crazy, but its bothering me that Naley hasnt had a second kid. I didnt see either of them raising Jamie an only child.

Dan and Rachel, intriguing. Not as gross as Skills and Deb, but not interesting either. Glad to see Haley getting screentime, but didnt see the need for a move to a giant house after one year of pro ball. Havent watched tonights episode yet, cause I wanted to get you guys this chapter, so maybe I'll talk about it. Or maybe Ill stick to commenting on your reviews. I like them better anyway!

You might want to reread last chapter to reorient yourself. I hadn't expected the chapters to be a month apart. Chapter title is another song lyric that kept running through my head when I was writing the chapter. I wish I could tell you what song it was from, and the artist, but I dont know who it is. Sorry, dont sue me. Its not mine.

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Chapter 19 Should I Stay or Should I Go

July 10, 2016

The room was quiet, as Lucas stopped, needing a moment to compose himself. He didn't realize how raw the old wounds still were. Even now his heart was thumping painfully in his chest, as if he were back in the time where his little girl could die at any moment.

"We lost her a couple of times because her lungs were too small and she stopped breathing. She had severe brain bleeds and needed surgeries, blood transfusions, and antibiotics when she caught infections because her immune system was not fully formed. She was in the hospital for 4 months before she was stable enough to come home." Lucas sighed heavily and pinched his nose.

"It was July when we were finally able to bring her home for the first time, the day before Independence day. At the time, Anna was still being tube fed, and was on oxygen, and she was barely the size of a newborn, but we were so excited that she could leave the hospital that we didn't care." Lucas' eyes glazed over as he relived the memories.

"Peyton was scared to leave the house with her, so we threw the Independence day party here instead of Nathan and Haley's…"

"And its been here ever since." Brooke asked, finishing his statement.

He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just because she was home, didn't mean she was out of the woods, as we soon found out. There were babies who had left before Anna, and were back in the hospital weeks later, babies who still passed away in spite of the fact that at one point they were stable enough to go home. Anna got a sickness called RSV, and it was her turn to be back in the hospital in the beginning of November. And even though she survived that 3 week stay in the hospital, we didn't stop worrying until well after her first birthday."

"The doctor's warned us that with the severity of her prematurity, there was only a 20% chance there would be no long term effects, but as you can see, Anna's proved them wrong." Lucas finally began to smile. "She can see and hear perfectly, and pretty soon she'll be walking and talking and all caught up, our little miracle baby."

He laughed softly, shaking his head. "Its been a two year fight, and its still hard to believe that I can relax now; that she's going to be alright." He reached next to him and pulled a blue and green photo album onto his lap.

He ran his hand over the binder lovingly. "When we found out it was a girl, Peyton used to joke that she would be the best of both of us. She managed to find this album that matched the colors of both of our eyes."

He passed it to Brooke and stood. "I'm sorry. I thought I could do this, but it's a little too soon. I need to be with my little girl for a while."

Understanding, and amazed that he had lasted this long, Brooke nodded her head, wiping away the tears that graced her own cheeks. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

Lucas nodded jerkily, then turned and made his way up the stairs.

When she heard his footsteps above her head, she turned her attention to the book in her lap. Peyton had written elaborately across the front of the binder, "Witnessing a Miracle."

Holding her breath, Brooke opened the book, and began to flip through the pages. She couldn't help it, her eyes began to water as she witnessed through photos how fragilely Anna had begun life. Lucas' words were bad enough, but seeing the picture of the little girl, the size of a fist and covered with tubes and wires, was too much to handle, and Brooke soon closed the book, curling herself into a ball and sobbing.

She should have been there. She should have been the one to tell Peyton it was going to be okay, that Anna came from a long line of survivors. She should have been the one sitting up in the hospital with Peyton, or sitting with Anna so she wouldn't be alone while Peyton spent time with her other children.

She should've been out shopping for Anna's coming home outfit instead of schmoozing with Jared's bosses at a swank fourth of July corporate party. Or telling Peyton that Anna would be home for Thanksgiving, instead of skiing in the Aspens with Jared and a group of people she only vaguely remembered.

Jared versus Peyton. There should have been no contest, and there wasn't one, because Brooke had chosen Jared's world over Peyton's a long time ago. There was no way, no way at all she could make this up to Peyton, and it made her feel worse that Peyton hadn't even asked her to.

Driven by the volatile emotions swirling inside of her, she got up and raced to her room, grabbing her suitcase and throwing it on the bed. The only thought she had at the moment was escaping the pain that roiled through her at the knowledge of all she missed. Mouth died, and she didn't know. Peyton almost died twice (she didn't know if Lucas realized how much he had given away when he said 'again.'), and she had been nowhere to be found. Peyton had children, gotten married, realized her dreams, and her best friend, the one who was supposed to be front and center for all the memories, had missed it all. She wasn't in any of the photo albums that graced the bookshelves, and with all she'd missed for no good reason, she didn't deserve to be in any of the future ones.

Blindly she tore the clothes from the hangers and threw them in the suitcase, her only thought was to get away. Biting back her sobs, she groped for the drawers unable to see clearly through the tears. The pain that ran through her hand as she banged it against the dresser was the final straw, and she gave up, sinking to the floor in abject misery.

"_Run away."_ A little voice whispered. It was the voice that served her well whenever life got overwhelming.

"Give me a minute. I just hurt my hand." Brooke muttered to herself crossly.

"_Run away." _

"A fast as I can pack," Brooke spoke out loud as she shook her hand a final time and stood back up, ready to continue packing.

"_Run away."_ The litany repeated over and over in her head as she went back to packing, the words a frenzied soundtrack to a scene that had been played out many times before.

"_Stay." _Brooke paused as the new thought broke through the train of the old, quiet but powerful as it silenced what had come before.

Brooke made her way to the bathroom, grabbing the nearest towel and running it under the cold water, pressing it to her face. She relaxed into the cool, allowing it to calm her overheated skin as she slowed her breathing. Dropping the towel in the sink, she raised her eyes to meet her own gaze in the mirror.

_"Stay"._ Had she learned nothing? Nothing at all in the week she had been here, nothing at all in the 10 years she missed? She had gained nothing and lost everything from running.

If Peyton was brave enough to let her in after everything she had been through in the last ten years, then the least Brooke could do was be brave enough to stay and fight through the pain of all she had lost out on. Peyton deserved nothing less. Straightening her shoulders in determination, Brooke left the bathroom and walked over to the bed, each movement deliberate as she began to rehang her clothes. The time for running was over.

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The rest of the day passed quickly, with only one more therapist stopping by in the afternoon. Brooke chuckled softly as Anna squealed in glee, 'walking' around the playroom with what she learned were called walking wings- a harness type thing that made her look a little like a marionette as Lucas held the straps that provided her the balance to move. Peyton clapped her hands in encouragement as Anna walked towards her, grabbing the little girl up in a hug when she made it and began to clap for herself. Brooke waved lightly at the little girl as she looked back over her mother's shoulder at the end of the session while they walked the last therapist out to her car, then made her way to her bedroom and collapsed on the bed.

It was yet another afternoon that Brooke managed to stay in her room until dinnertime, but this time, it was from pure exhaustion, the rollercoaster of emotions draining all of her energy. Having stretched out on the bed 'for a minute', she fell to sleep, comatose until a gentle hand began to shake her awake.

"Its time to eat." A voice said softly.

Brooke rolled over and stretched with her eyes closed, reluctant to get up. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. What time is it?"

"Ummm..." Brooke's eyes shot open as it registered that it wasn't Peyton sitting on the side of her bed.

"I think its maybe 6:30? Mom told me to come and get you for dinner." Brody said, looking at his watchless arms and glancing around the room. Brooke had knocked the clock on the floor in her earlier scramble to pack and had never picked it up.

"Oh." Brooke said awkwardly. This was the first time they had been alone since the blow up. "Ok." Way to go, Brooke. Nice icebreaker. She shook her head to clear it. The perfect opportunity to talk to Brody, and her head was filled with cobwebs.

Brody continued to watch her as she attempted to wake herself up, rubbing her eyes, shaking her head, and smacking her cheeks while sitting up in bed. To tell the truth, she was unnerved by his silence, and trying to void by keeping herself busy. After a minute of this byplay, Brody finally spoke.

"Well, I definitely wake up like Dad, 'cause I've never done anything like that." Brody said, shaking his head.

She couldn't help but smile at the memory. Lucas had always been a light sleeper. One minute he was sleep, the next wide awake, eyes popping open and brain already moving as his body followed quickly behind.

"Probably." Brooke said. "Your mom and I would always be jealous at how easy it was for him in the mornings." She chuckled. "It took us a little longer."

"That's so weird." Brody said, shaking his head.

"We're not morning people." Brooke said, shrugging her shoulders.

"No, not that." Brody said, shaking his head again. "You said my mom and you. But you _are_ my mom. Well, kinda. But you never call yourself that." He gave her a thoughtful look. "Why is that?"

Brooke thought for a moment about the question, not wanting another painful blowup because she said the wrong thing.

"I guess…" She took a deep breath. "I guess because I always thought of Peyton as your mom, almost from the moment I decided to give you to her. I gave birth to you, but I haven't done anything to deserve being called your mom. That was all your mom." Brooke shook her head at the play on words, allowing herself to chuckle when she heard Brody laugh.

"That's like what mom said about Ellie. I just thought maybe it was because Ellie didn't come back until she was a grownup, but Im still a kid." It was his turn to shrug. "I thought maybe it'd be different."

"Do you want it to be?" Brooke asked cautiously. "Do you…want to call me mom?"

Whoa. Talk about a potential minefield. "Note to self. Wait until fully conscious to have serious conversations with 9 year olds." Brooke thought to herself. She held her breath as she waited for the answer.

Brody hooked his finger in his mouth and stared upward, in a pose that Brooke was coming to learn meant that he was thinking. It was so cute how he looked up, like he was trying to look into his brain for his thoughts. She absentmindedly wondered if he actually saw something, and if she should try it sometime. Oh, wait. Focus.

Brody surprised her yet again by ignoring the question. "Why'd you pick my mom to be my mom?" Brody asked curiously.

"Because she was my best friend." Brooke said immediately, and then it was her turn to stare into the distance as she ticked off her reasons. "Because she was good with babies. Because she always took care of me and I knew she would take good care of you. Because she loved me, and I suspected she loved your father, so I knew that she would love you because you were a part of both of us."

Brooke focused her gaze and met Brody's brilliant blue eyes with her own. "Because I wanted the best for you, and I believed she could give you everything I couldn't."

She smiled nervously, unable to hold the heavy moment without a quip. "So how'd I do?"

Brody smirked, in that moment looking exactly like a dark-haired Lucas. "I think you did pretty awesome. High five!" He held up his hand, reminding Brooke once again for all his maturity, he was still only 9 years old. Smiling, she slapped his hand.

"I agree." She said, before shooing him off the bed. "Now, tell your 'pretty awesome' mom I'll be up in a second."

"Ok," Brody said, grinning, as he bounced off the bed and ran up the stairs.

Brooke sat for a moment, smiling softly. An honest conversation with Brody. If she had any doubt in her mind that staying and fighting through the mess she had gotten herself into, it was quickly erased by the progress that one conversation represented.

She couldn't erase what she had done. But she was learning that while her decisions weren't good, they weren't all bad either. And from Brody's own mouth, at least one of her decisions was 'pretty awesome."

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Later that evening, while the adults were sipping coffee and the kids were down in the playroom, Peyton glanced around the table at Nathan and Haley, Lucas, and Brooke. Nathan and Lucas were discussing plans for a tree house, and were drawing blueprints on pieces of paper while Haley chimed in occasionally and Brooke looked on.

"Hey, this reminds me of a story!" she said excitedly, still riding her emotional rollercoaster. She had been alternatively teary-eyed and ecstatic as the day wore on; this was obviously a riding high moment. "All of us here, making plans..." she looked apologetically at Brooke. "Well, you weren't there of course, but you know what I mean."

"It had to have been freshman year…"

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Alright guys, I'll post the flashback as soon as I get 40 reviews. I've missed you, so I cant wait to see your thoughts. I'm sorry for not personally shouting out the people who asked for a Brody/Brooke scene, but here is your scene guys. Did you like it?

I'm about ready for feisty Brooke to come back, so you'll be seeing her in a couple of chapters.


	21. Midnight Revelations

A/N: I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter! I wasnt sure if it was any good, but I needed to let it go so I could move on to better things. Thank you for your comments, thoughts and prayers. I miss talking back and forth to you guys. I love the long reviews!

I keep watching season 7 too! Though I tape it so I can fast forward through most of it because I dislike the storylines so much, and then I erase it. I actually like Alex and her quips, though Im not looking forward to her getting in between Brulian. I realized that my problem is Im not a fan of adult drama. When you're a teenager and cheating and breaking up over stupid stuff, its one thing. But when you're 25 years old, its kind of like, grow up already. I want their drama to be like, losing a job and not being able to afford the house- not, 'I might have cheated on you and gotten some skank pregnant', or 'I want to divorce you and sleep with someone else so you stop fighting to be with me because we grew apart'. Which is prob why I dont like soap operas either. Anywho, to tell you the truth, Im just watching because I dont want to miss it if Peyton and Sawyer come back one day. That and there is nothing else on.

RJ- I think Brooke had to make the decision to stay on her own, to make her stronger and stop being so fragile. Also, at this point, if they had seen her packing up, Lucas or Haley would have helped her on her way, feeling vindicated because they were right in thinking she wasnt going to stay. So no one will know she had plans to leave.

Stagediva- Brooke's flashback will be in a couple of chapters, maybe 5? And there will definitely be a love interest for Brooke. I like my girls happy.

Darksye- I have not forgotten you love. Glad to see you back. I too have been reading without reviewing during this crazy time, so I understand and judge in no way shape or form!

A-dono- I think Vicki (I laughed pretty hard on that one) will be coming back to Tree Hill and causing trouble. After all, what happens to a design company when the designer no longer works for it? Hmmmm

Brookelover- you should definitely read Anything for Brody, though if you are not a Leyton fan, it might be a little tough. But there is no Brooke bashing (I think). I love Brooke too.

lwrnld- Do you want me to stop talking about season 7? I dont want to give anything away.

chocolatemud- I didnt even think to have Brody walk in. That would have been a great scene!

Just so you know guys, I will do my best to get an update out each Monday, barring trips to the ER.

Definitely researched UNC's course schedule for this one. Don't own it, don't go there, creative genius heavily used.

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Chapter 20 Midnight Revelations

Dec 12, 2006

Peyton stretched, glancing briefly at her watch. 11:15. Perfect. She had almost another 3 good hours of studying left before she had to go to bed, leaving her plenty of time to get 8 hours of sleep and make it to her Spanish final.

Who knew how genius she had been in creating her first year course-load? Taking only 14 credits since she was primarily responsible for Brody, she only had one in class final, with her English class requiring only a final paper, and her two freshman seminars finishing their assignments during the regular school year.

She remembered how excited everyone was the day the course schedule came in the mail- hers and Luke's from UNC, Nathan and Haley's from Duke. They even threw a 'schedule party', with Nathan and Haley coming to the house with their materials, and Karen making endless snacks for the 4 of them as they perused the general requirements and debated about majors.

"_You do realize we are dorks right?" Peyton joked as she spread the UNC brochures out in front of her and Luke, who were leaning against the headboard._

"_Dorks with food," Nathan pointed out, popping the last of his personal pizza into his mouth. "Karen makes the best mini-pizzas!" He looked around the room from his post, lounging across the foot of the bed. "I'd even join a study group if Karen was catering it."_

_Haley elbowed Nathan in the stomach from her position, stretched out in front of him with the Duke materials spread out in front of her. She knew she would be the one doing most of the legwork through the brochures, but she didn't mind if it meant she got to cuddle up against his chest, and as he absentminded caressed her stomach where his arm lay draped, and every once in a while dropped a kiss into her hair, she thought that all in all, it was probably an even trade. _

"_I just think that since we are going to college with kids, its probably a good idea to have an idea of what we are going to be studying, at the very least what the general requirements are, so we can best optimize the schedule for the next 4 years so that somebody will always be available whenever possible." Haley rationalized._

"_Makes sense," Lucas nodded decisively._

_Peyton and Nathan shared a look, then shrugged in agreement. Spontaneous people that they were, planning was never their strong suit, and school wasn't much higher on their list. But they loved their bookworm and brainy significant others, enough to go along with what actually seemed like a good idea. _

"_Ok, so we know your major Haley, and anybody confused about what Lucas is going to study?" Peyton said, looking around the room. "So, I guess the first thing on the list is figuring out what me and Nathan are going to do with the rest of our lives. Nathan, want to start?" Peyton joked._

"_You mean, what am I going to do besides play basketball and rake in millions? Hmmm, that's a good question. Haley, can you look up the requirements for a degree of basket weaving please?" Nathan said with a serious face._

_Haley turned over and slapped his chest, at the same time Peyton threw a pillow at him, leaving him just off balance enough that in his effort to avoid the pillow, the extra push from Haley's slap sent him tumbling head over heels onto the floor, sending peels of laughter throughout the room. They quickly stopped when they heard the door to the basement open, and the sound of footsteps on the bed. Heads bent as they pretended to study the manuals and brochures intensely, and Nathan scrambled back onto the bed, just as Keith opened the door to the bedroom. _

"_You do realize that there are three babies sleeping upstairs that Karen and I are watching for you guys, right?"_

"_Well, technically, only two of them are ours." Lucas joked, before being elbowed into a "Yes, Dad," by Peyton._

_A meek chorus of "Yes, Uncle Keith," and "Sorry Keith" filled the room. _

_Keith stood there, the frown on his face melting into a smile as he himself began to chuckle. "Relax guys, I was just kidding. Your mom's got some sort of white noise thingee going on, so the kids could probably sleep through a blizzard. I just heard the thump and came to make sure nobody had expired from the sheer nightmare of the college coursebook."_

"_It is big." Lucas admitted. _

"_But that's why I figured we'd make it smaller by creating our own little mini coursebooks. I mean, if you take out all the majors you don't need, and pare it down to all the courses you need and might take and alternatives to those just in case they have better timings, then really, its not that difficult." Haley said, jumping up and walking over to the desk, where she had laid out paper and pens and colored paper. _

_Nathan laughed, and looked over at Keith. "You gotta love her. College has got nothing on Haley James."_

"_Haley James_ _Scott." Haley said, coming over to press a quick kiss to Nathan's lips. "And don't you forget it mister."_

"_Never," Nathan said, getting lost in her luminous brown eyes. There was something about Haley when she was in instructor mode that never ceased to get to him. _

_The chorus of gags and "my eyes" from Peyton and Lucas broke the moment between them, and they looked up to see one dramatically stabbing out their eyes and the other leaning over the bed with a finger in their open mouth. _

_Keith watched the antics for a while, before bringing it to a halt. "Alright guys. Last round of food is on its way down, then you're on your own. Karen said not to worry about the kids tonight, so we'll see you in the morning. This is a love free zone, and let's see, what else? Don't do drugs..."_

"_Goodnight, Dad." Lucas said pointedly, as Keith looked as if he was going to launch into his own tangent, even if he was just joking. _

"_Goodnight all." Keith said good naturedly. Turning back as he reached the door, he frowned in puzzlement. "Oh yeah, before I leave. Why exactly are you all scrunched up on the bed like that, when you have the desks and all this floor space? Not to mention the family room with all the couches and everything."_

_They all looked around the room, and it was true, they had all piled up onto the bed without a second thought to other options and had never moved, even though after 2 hours of being there, they had only just begun the work on what they had set out to do._

"_I guess maybe because its easier to move into an orgy this way when we're done." Nathan finally said. _

_Haley gasped and rolled over to shove him, just as Peyton and Lucas threw the rest of the pillows at him, causing him to crash to the floor once again. "You think I would've learned the first time." He groaned from the floor. _

_Keith laughed and opened the door. "Well now, that explains pretty much everything. And on that note, its time for me to leave. See you in the morning. French toast at 10."_

"_Man, I love your mom Luke. Can we share?" Nathan said, still lying on the floor._

"_Sure," Lucas joked. "She's already adopted Peyt and Hales. What's one more?"_

One more indeed. Karen had taken them all under her wing, with Peyton already living with her, and Haley having been a pseudo-daughter for years. She didn't even blink an eye when Nathan began calling her for advice, or coming to the café without Haley, baby James in tow; his mother had fallen back into old habits as the date for Nathan to head to Duke for basketball drew near- even the thought of an empty nest was enough to send her searching for prescription drugs. Luckily Nathan had to be at school August 1, so they didn't have long to put up with her increasingly erratic behaviors.

When Nathan finally left for school, staying on campus with the other basketball players as required for the summer session, Haley and baby James moved into Brody's room, and Brody moved into Luke and Peyton's room, until the time came for them all to move to the house on Cherry Tree Lane.

Peyton was interrupted from her past remembrance by the current wail of a baby. She waited a beat, relieved that it wasn't _her_ baby, then jumped up when the sound of one baby turned into two, and she met Nathan in the hall as they headed to the boys' room.

"We've got to stop meeting like this Sawyer." Nathan joked sleepily, running a hand through his tousled hair.

"Hey, nobody told you to follow in your brother's footsteps in all ways, hotshot." Peyton quipped as she headed to Brody's crib, Nathan heading to the opposite wall where Jamie lay.

Normally it was an ideal set-up, with both of the boys in the same room. It meant that only one changing table was needed, and all the baby supplies stayed in one place. Originally, baby James stayed in a bassinet in his parent's room since he was so small, but at the beginning of December, he had begun sleeping through the night, and they felt it was time for him to move into his own room. Only rarely did nights like this occur, when Jamie woke up for some reason, and even more rarely was Brody, who had slept through multiple teenage antics, awakened by the cries. Tonight was one of them.

"Ma-ma!" Brody wailed, standing in his crib and reaching his arms out to her, hands opening and closing plaintively. He snuffled against her chest, curling into her sleepily as she picked him up, her heart contracting painfully as it always did when he called out to her like that. The love she felt for the little boy made her heart so full it hurt. She turned, sharing a glance with Nathan as he had done the same with Jamie, their moments mirroring the other as they tried to calm their sons.

They didn't think it was possible, but the two had grown even closer during the midnight forays and chance meetings in the night, often beginning as this one had. Nathan had quickly become the go- to guy for Jamie, answering cries, changing diapers, feeding and playing with his son as much as possible whenever he was home, because the reality was, with his basketball schedule, it was rare. Haley didn't mind the perceived monopolization of her son, because she was often a 'single' parent while Nathan was on the road, or at practice, or at mandatory study halls, or whatever other required basketball commitment that occurred outside of class. Coach K was sympathetic to the fact that he had a son, but gave him no allowances- Division I basketball did not have room for outside commitments, which included even school occasionally.

And it was something that weighed heavily on Nathan's mind.

_Peyton stretched, working out the cricks in her neck as she took one last look, satisfied, at her final rendition of the living room an art project due by the end of the week. She especially appreciated the scattered toys and baby swing she had incorporated into her artwork- while not necessary, it was essential to her and her work to add the personal elements of her life in her art- her living room in life had evidence of children, so would her living room in art. _

_Yawning as she took note of the time- 2:30am- she sleepily made her way up the stairs, stopping at the boys' room, as was her habit. She was startled as she entered the room to find the nightlight on- she remembered turning it off when she put Brody to bed earlier that night. She looked around to find Nathan in the corner, rocking a sleeping baby James, tears slowly slipping down his face. _

"_Nathan!" Peyton whispered, alarmed at the sight of him crying. _

_Taken by surprise himself, Nathan hastily wiped his face as best he could while juggling Jamie in his arms. "Sawyer," he said hoarsely, before clearing his throat. "I didn't think anybody else was up."_

"_I was downstairs finishing a project for my art seminar. "What are you doing up? What's wrong?" She held up a hand as he opened his mouth. "And don't tell me nothing."_

_Nathan sat quietly, rocking Jamie, who had been disturbed by the sudden movements, back into quiet slumber. Finally he began to speak. "I'm missing everything." He said quietly. "I missed his first smile, the first time he rolled over, and today, I came home, and he has a new tooth." Nathan hung his head. "Just call me Dan Jr. - basketball is taking over my life!" Nathan looked at Peyton, who had knelt quietly in front of him, placing a hand on his knee. "Haley might as well be alone as much as I help out around here, because Im always gone, and since Im a freshman, they give me extra things to do because I have to prove myself, which takes up even more time!"_

"_But Haley understands, Nate. And she's not alone. She has Luke, and me…"Peyton protested. _

"_And you have your own kid to deal with. You can't tell me she doesn't look at you guys doing things together with Einstein and wish I was here more, even if she doesn't say anything." He looked back at Jamie. "And I'm missing my son growing up. Look how much he's changed, and it's only been a couple of months. Look at how different Brody is in a year- that's how Jamie's going to be, which by the looks of things, I'm probably gonna miss too! And for what? To sit on the bench? To barely pass my classes, because, oh by the way, I don't have time for those either."_

"_Okay stop!" Peyton said, standing and placing her hands on Nathan's shoulders, forcing him to look up at her. "You. Are not. Dan. Repeat after me. I. AM NOT. Dan."_

_A little frightened at the intensity in her eyes, he did as she said. _

"_Now, say this. I love my son. And by doing whats best for me, I am doing whats best for him."_

"_But," Nathan protested. _

"_Say it," Peyton interrupted. So he said it._

"_Basketball is important to me." Peyton continued. At his hesitation, she gently caressed his cheek. "Its okay to say it, Nathan. Loving one doesn't mean you cant love the other." _

_Choking on the words, Nathan repeated the phrase. _

"_Haley knows I love her, and understands." Peyton finished._

"_Does she?" Nathan said quietly. "Or is she silently suffering because I'm never here? Is she secretly wondering if I'm going to turn into my father…"_

_Once again Peyton interrupted him. "Do I have to start this from the beginning?"_

"_No, no. I am not Dan. Got it." Nathan said quickly. _

"_Good." Peyton looked down at Jamie, who was snuggled peacefully in his father's arms, the rumble of his whispering voice pulling him deeper into sleep, but also placing a smile on his face, even in slumber recognizing his father was near. "Look at that baby, Nate. That is a well-loved baby, who loves you and recognizes you. You are the ONLY one who has doubts about the job you're doing being his father. You have already proved yourself to not be Dan because you are here, in the middle of the night, instead of sleeping and letting Haley take care of it. You are with Haley- you didn't leave her and Jamie to follow your dream like Dan did to Karen and Lucas. Every time you are not on that court you are with him." _

_Peyton sighed heavily. "Does it suck for you that you can't be here for his firsts? Yes. Does he feel it? No. Look at Brody. Lucas didn't have his first smile, I did." Nathan looked up in shock, remembering vividly how proud Lucas was to have witnessed his son's first smile. _

_Peyton waggled her finger. _"_Now, that's a secret that I will deny to my grave, but did not being there for the first stop Brody from giving him the second, or the thirdsmile? No, because Lucas has been there for many of them. As you will with Jamie."_

"_Is Haley alone?" Peyton continued, then answered her own question. " No, because she has me and Lucas, and you whenever you are not on that court; Coach K has given all of us a season pass to your games, so even then she is not alone, and she is right there with you supporting you all the way." _

_She ran a hand through his hair as he began to tear up again at her healing words. "This is gonna be a sacrifice, on all our parts, because none of it is easy, Nate. But you can't tell me its not worth it, and its okay to believe it. You _have_ to believe it if you're gonna get through. Now, in a year, things will settle down, and you'll get some playing time, and you'll have more freedom because you won't be the freshman bitch." _

_Nathan chuckled at her choice of words, but listened intently as she continued. "And your son will be right next to your wife, and they will both be cheering you on, and they'll be so proud of you Nathan. So proud."_

_Peyton took Jamie from him and laid him in the crib, before pulling Nathan up into a hug, squealing softly as he gripped her tightly. "I love you, Sawyer."_

"_Sorry bub, I'm taken." She joked, before pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I love you too." She said seriously. _

"_How did you get so smart by the way?" he asked, pulling away from her to look into her eyes. _

"_Well, I just basically told you everything Karen told me when I tried to quit cheerleading. Without the whole spouse thing, cause me and Lucas weren't together at the time…" _

_He stopped her rambling with another hug. "Thank you. Thanks for being my family."_

"_Yeah, well, you're welcome. You were a horrible boyfriend, but you are a pretty decent big brother." She said cheekily. She disengaged herself from his arms. "Now, you can do what you want, but I'm going to snuggle up to my favorite Scott man and pass out." _

"_I don't know how you're gonna fit in Brody's crib, but work it out." Nathan joked, earning him a slap on the chest. "Goodnight Sawyer." He said as she made her way out the room. _

"_Goodnight. Next time you want to cry like a baby, wake up Haley. This is her job." _

_Nathan smiled. He knew that the tears and the conversation wouldn't be world news. Peyton would keep this night to herself, and he would eventually talk to Haley, but in that moment he was reminded of something that he had intuitively known years ago: Peyton would always be there for him and he for her. Who knew it would be in a way that neither of them would have imagined?_

Nathan had confessed his fears to Haley, and she proved them groundless, saying pretty much everything Peyton alluded that she would. Lucas caught Peyton's smile and wondered about it, figuring out quickly that perhaps Nathan had help in revealing his feelings, and walked over to her at the breakfast bar, scooping her up and hugging her tightly, pulling her into a kiss full of all the love he felt for her at that moment.

"_Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" she had asked. _

"_For being you." He said simply. _

So here they were, once again up in the middle of the night with the two babies, only this time, the babies were up as well. Nathan and Peyton often had the night shift being night people, but tonight it was also because both Haley and Lucas were studying for their English final together. Since Lucas was studying English Lit, and Haley was studying Education with an English concentration, the two best friends had studied their respective brochures and figured out a way to take English classes that were similar enough to each other that they could study together in spite of going to different schools.

They were scary, those two.

Nathan couldn't help but chuckle as Jamie went back to sleep quickly, but Brody protested loudly every time Peyton tried to place him back in his crib, refusing to let her go and clinging to her like a monkey with both arms and legs.

"Goodnight you two." He taunted. as he made his way to the door.

"Hey," Peyton whispered harshly. "It was your kid who woke up my kid. You should be the one putting him back to sleep!"

"Okay," Nathan said simply. Peyton should have known it was a set-up, having known Nathan for most of her life, but it is still came as a surprise when Nathan reached out to take Brody and he clung to her even harder, forcing his tiny body tight against hers in defense of being taken by Nathan.

"Oh well, I tried." Nathan said cheerfully. "See you in the morning."

"Come on Brody, you love Uncle Nathan! You go to him every morning when I have class. Do it so Momma can study." Peyton pleaded. But almost as if he understood her words, Brody shook his head and held on tighter. They had slacked off on the nickname, calling him by his real name as he became older, so that he would learn to recognize himself as Brody, and not just react when he heard the name Einstein.

Sighing, she gave up the fight, tucking Brody on her hip and making her way back to her room, where she was studying since the baby monitors were broken and she couldn't hear from downstairs.

Moving her books from the desk to the bed, she stretched out beside them in the middle of the bed, Brody naturally curling up against her side as he yawned sleepily, having won his battle to be with her. "Maybe the battle, but never the war my son," Peyton spoke lovingly as she turned to the page she needed and began to speak out loud, conjugating verbs in the present tense. "To love. Amar. Yo amo. I love. Te amo. You love. Le amo…" She went through the verbs, moving through the tenses of both regular and irregular verbs before moving onto vocabulary. The steady drone of her voice sent vibrations through her chest, as Brody snuggled up to it and played sleepily with her hair, a steady hum coming from his chest as he eventually drifted off to sleep. "Gotcha" Peyton thought to herself, chuckling a little at the thought that maybe the hum was Brody conjugating verbs himself. Her son the bilingual baby.

It was almost 3 o'clock when Lucas said goodnight to Haley and made his way to the bedroom, smiling softly at the picture of a sleeping Peyton curled around a sleeping Brody, the Spanish book open underneath her limp hand. Quietly he reached for the camera and snapped a picture, before gently removing her study materials from where they were teetering dangerously off the side of the bed and crawling in behind them, putting his arm around Peyton much in the same manner as her arm lay around Brody. Sighing in content, Lucas smiled as both Peyton and Brody shifted slightly to accommodate him as he drifted off to sleep.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I love this chapter! Its like three little stories in one! Yay flashbacks inside of flashbacks! Next chapter, Peytons b-day!


	22. Birthday Traditions

Hi Guys- I'm back. Sort of. I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers- It means alot to me all the well-wishes and understanding that was sent my way. Its been really hard, and my muse is seriously suffering, but nothing has worked, not reading fanfic, not watching old epis, not watching new epis, so my last resort is to post what I have and hope your reviews inspire me to write as they did before. I am not the same, and I dont know if I ever will be again.

That being said, life goes on. I wont post based on reviews- review only when you feel it, that way I know if my writing has suffered along with my muse, or if its all in my head. I will try to post at least once a week, but it wont always be the same story. I have about 5 half started which I will post, but I am only guaranteeing to finish LLLF and RBD, any new stuff from this day forward has no guarantee. As I said before, this is my last try to spark a muse that has lost interest in writing. My grief counselor says its normal for the first year, but who can live that long without Leyton?

Anywho, enough from me. This chapter and half of the next was written before Daddy died, so I know its good. Hopefully the new stuff will be up to par.

Ok, so the Birthday chapter got long, so it is now a two parter. Sorry Amanda, but I really get antsy around 6 pages. Do you think they have a support group for 'fanfic writers who cant write long chapters on a regular basis'? Prob not, cause the name would be too long. Too bad.

-----LP------

Birthday Traditions

July 12, 2012

"July 12. Happy Birthday Peyton." Brooke thought to herself, rolling out of bed excitedly. Today was the day. The day she would be able to prove her best friend status. Every year on Peyton's birthday they had a tradition. Just like they went to the mall and stole something for Brooke's birthday, Peyton's birthday meant moody mood music and angsty drawings.

She had it all planned out. The night before, she had gathered what she remembered of Peyton's favorite cd's, and she had gotten an advance on her check for Peyton's birthday gift- a new sketchpad and pencils. Thinking about how she was able to afford Peyton's gift made her think of Karen, who had been especially helpful in helping her deal with the overwhelming emotions brought about by the revelations of all she'd missed.

"_I just don't understand how you guys could accept me with open arms after everything I've missed...all the times I wasn't there." Brooke said, standing behind the counter stacking the donuts in the glass display case as Karen set up the register. _

_Karen paused in her organizing. "Well," she mused, "Like I said before, that's what family does. And if you want a more technical answer, how about the fact that we assume that if you knew what was going on, you would have been there. But you didn't, so you weren't." _

_She looked over at Brooke, who sat picking at the donuts with the metal tongs, unconvinced. "You know, eventually you are going to have to stop beating yourself up about the time you weren't here, and focus on what you now get to be a part of, because right now, you _are_ here. So what are you gonna do about it?"_

What _was_ she going to do about it? Brooke paused in her excitement, stuck in reminiscing. Looking back, it was probably the yearly tradition of sketching with Peyton that made her such a great designer. Bored out her mind with Peyton's typical artwork but loyal to the end, Brooke took her sketchpad and doodled dress designs instead of feelings, expressing her self artistically with stylish fashions instead of cryptic drawings. Ok, so maybe loyalty was not really how she came to the love of design, but it was her memory and she was sticking to her rewrite of history.

"_Peyton, I'm bored!" Brooke huffed, finished with poking through Peyton's drawers and closets, and commenting on her choice of clothing, music, and decorations. _

"_I'm not." Peyton said simply, not even bothering to look up from her sketchpad._

_Like a cat, Brooke laid herself dramatically across Peyton's sketchpad, impeding Peyton's ability to finish her picture. _

"_Hey!" Peyton reared up, swatting at Brooke, who refused to move. _

_Using her best pout, Brooke looked up at Peyton as she batted away her hands. "Don't you want to go shopping? You can pick out something you like, and I'll steal it for you." Brooke cajoled. _

"_Noooo, that's what we did for _your_ birthday, 'cause __**you**__ like to shop. Today is __**my**__ birthday, so we are going to do what __**I**__ like to do. And I like to draw and listen to music." Peyton said, her final effort succeeding in shoving Brooke off her sketches. Instead of falling off the bed, Brooke managed to gracefully swing her legs so that she landed on her feet, standing tall and throwing her hands in the air. _

"_Spirit fingers!" she said, giggling at her impromptu routine. She was distracted for a couple minutes more, as her save from hitting floor led her to the creation of several more moves in succession. Some of which that became vocal. _

"_P-e-y! T-o-n! Todays her birthday, Now she's 10! Goooooo Peyton!"_

_And as the glow began to wear off of the entertainment of cheering…_

"_B! O! R-e-d! That's what I don't want to be! Peyton's drawing, this is boring, Let me turn on M-T-V!"_

_Peyton tolerated the noise from Brooke's cheers, ignoring her hopping about the room as long as she could. But when her favorite song came on the radio and she couldn't hear it over Brooke's cheery squeals, her patience came to an end. _

"_Gimme a P! P! You got yo' P you got yo' Hey!" Brooke said as she was interrupted by a pillow to the face. _

"_I can't hear __**my**__ music. It __**my**__ birthday. You want to go shopping for clothes?" Peyton picked up an empty sketchpad and tossed it to the end of the bed. "You can't. So how about you use your creativity and your mute button and make some clothes of your own." _

"_You always complain about the clothes in the store anyway." Peyton murmured as she went back to her drawing. _

_Brooke looked at Peyton's bent head, then at the sketchpad. Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to give it a try. Peyton was right, the Juniors section selection was horrid. She could do better with her eyes closed. Entertained at the thought, Brooke spent the first few minutes sketching blindly, before opening her eyes and realizing that not only did the squiggly lines not resemble anything close to designer wear, she had accidentally marked up Peyton's bedspread. Sneaking a glance over at Peyton, she subtly moved her sketchpad to cover the stain, tore the failed attempt to pieces, and began again, this time with her eyes open. _

_And so began the creation of Brooke's, a full line of clothing for Barbie and her friends, finished by the time Peyton's dad came home and took the two of them out to dinner at Peyton's favorite restaurant, Bertucci's, where their tradition of pizza with random toppings could be realized in a fine dining atmosphere._

Brooke smiled at the memory; a lot had changed since then. At 10, her sewing skills were subpar, and Brooke's designs looked a lot better on paper than on Barbie. Peyton's favorite restaurant was the place that reminded her of how her dad used to make pizzas with strange toppings because it allowed her to do the same. At 27, Brooke's sewing skills now rivaled that of her designs, and her designs were touted as the best in the world. And she no longer knew what Peyton's favorite restaurant was.

If she had the time and resources, she would have made Peyton a kick ass birthday dress to wear on her special day, not to mention a couple of outfits that would serve as her birthday gift to wear on other occasions. But as it was, she couldn't even afford to make or buy _one_ dress from the Clothes over Bro's label, and had to settle for the art supplies she found on sale at Michaels. Brooke stared at her meager clothing options carefully in an attempt to calm herself down. Peyton had warned her several times about her tendency to jump to conclusions without thinking first. So think.

Brooke put her finger to her mouth and looked up, much like she had seen Brody do when he was deep in thought. After a moment she laughed to herself and brought her head back down. She didn't know what he saw up there, but it was not showing itself to her. Walking to the bed with her selection, she tried another tactic. She thought about what she had to think about.

"Ok, so I have to find out from Peyton, no, maybe Lucas, when a good time is to give Peyton her present and spend some time together like we used to." Brooke smiled, patting herself on the back for thinking. After all, Peyton had a family now, and Brooke was pretty sure they had plans for their mother/wife/ sisterinlaw/ friend.

"That's enough thinking for the day. Now its time for some action!" Brooke said to herself as she made her way up the stairs to find Lucas, trying to pump herself up, reminiscing about the past making her break into cheer form. "You can do it! Nothing to it! Gooooo Brooke!"

---------LP----------

"Peyton?" Feather-like kisses from the mouth that whispered her name covered the furrowed brow and the eyelids that refused to open, traveling down the nose that was scrunched with annoyance to the mouth that was turned upside down in displeasure.

"Peeeyt-ton." Lucas smiled as a hand came up out of the covers, not to lovingly caress him, but to bat him out of the way. 10 years together, and it never ceased to amaze him how much his wife hated mornings. Even mornings of her birthday.

Lucas leaned even further over his wife, continuing to lay caresses on her mouth, ears, and throat, dodging her hands and at one point, her fist (unintentional he hoped, but was never too sure) as she rolled onto her stomach and pulled the covers up over her head. Undeterred, Lucas changed his focus to the back of her neck, slowly pulling the covers from over her head and down her body, as he followed the covers down with amorous caresses.

He smiled to himself as, several moments later, Peyton flipped over onto her back, giving in to the flickering warmth that began to infuse her body at each subtle caress of his hands and mouth as he did what he did best- love his wife.

And as her hands tangled in his hair to pull him closer instead of push him away, Lucas thought once again how lucky he was to be the one to make his wife, the Momma bear, "all smiley and stuff," in the mornings. Because it never failed that every time, Peyton wasn't the only one smiling as she started her day.

"Happy birthday to me" Peyton murmured much later, managing to arch her back and stretch without losing her position draped across her husband.

Unable to resist, Lucas pressed a kiss onto the top of her head. "I swear, it never fails to amaze how different you can be in the span of 10 minutes."

Peyton lifted her head and grinned cheekily at him. "I guess it all depends what happened in those 10 minutes."

Lucas swatted her butt, a swat that morphed into a caress as he felt the smooth flesh of one of his favorite parts of her body. His chuckle was cut off by the press of his wife's body against his own, as she reacted to the sensation of his hands running from her bottom to the back of her leg.

They were interrupted by a tiny imperious voice calling indignantly over the baby monitor. "Da!"

Lucas groaned, pressing a quick kiss to his wife grinning lips. "Ignore her, maybe she'll forget why she called me."

Moments later, the voice called again. "Da-daaa!"

Peyton laughed, patting his chest. "You hope and pray they learn to talk and then they don't shut up." Peyton joked as he let her go and swung out of bed, searching for his boxers.

Lucas paused, boxers dangling from his fingertips as he grinned, smirking at his wife who lay sprawled where she had fallen without the support of his body. "How convenient of you to forget that dada was her first word, and she's been saying it for six months now. I'll let you have that lapse in memory, since its your birthday and all."

"Dada?" Peyton sat up in bed, green eyes sparkling at their banter. "Are you conveniently forgetting that she only said your name first because she was asking for 'Bo-dee?' " Peyton reminded him, finger quoting the air.

Lucas put a hand on the bed to support his weight as he leaned towards his wife. "For your information…" Lucas was interrupted by an even more forceful call through the monitor.

"Da- DA!"

"Go get your daughter, Da-da." Peyton said, kneeling on the bed and pressing a kiss to his lips before pushing him towards the door.

After she saw him leave out the room, she plopped back down on the bed and made her way back under the covers.

"Shouldn't have asked for a daddy's girl," Peyton thought smugly as she snuggled back under the covers and drifted back off to sleep.

Not even half and hour later, Peyton was pulled from her light slumber by the sound of giggles near her ear. She cracked open an eye to find that she had changed positions in the short amount of time and was now sprawled on her back. But if she was on her back, then how was her 2 year old looking her dead in the eye?

Peyton opened both eyes as Anna began to dance in the air above her and a male voice began to sing in falsetto, _"I'll always love my mama, she's my favorite girl_,"

Peyton cracked a smile as she heard her oldest in the background, "_Dun, dun, dun-dun_…"

"_Ill always love my mama, she brought me in this world_," the falsetto voice continued as Anna kept giggling, making it obvious that the singing was not coming from her.

Peyton moved to sit up, accepting a reaching Anna. "That was some awesome singing Tinkerbell!" Peyton said, pulling her into a hug. "Good morning, baby girl."

"Ma!" Anna squealed, followed by a bunch of jibberish.

William bounded onto the bed. "What Tink's tryna say is, Happy Birthday Momma!"

"My word! You are a happy bear this morning!" Peyton said, amazed at her normally antisocial son.

William grinned and bounced, sending his curls flying. "Brody woke me up early this morning, so I could get over my grouchy parts. So I could say…" He took a deep breath and threw out his arms dramatically. "Happy Birthday, Momma!"

"Thank you baby!" Peyton said just as dramatically, pulling William into her arms. "A Scooter with no grouchy parts is the best birthday present a girl could ask for!"

"I figured," William said, grinning as he settled next to Anna in Peyton's arms.

Peyton chuckled at her son's matter of fact tone.

"And we wanted to sing you happy birthday," Brody reminded William as walked over and pressed a kiss to Peyton's cheek, laughing as she pulled him down into her arms as well, making Anna squeal in delight at being squished between her brothers.

"What, you too old to jump on the bed and wish me happy birthday, too?" Peyton said, ticking him with her fingers as she used her arms to cushion Anna from his squirms.

"Mom," Brody said as he laughed helplessly, "that was…so…last year!"

"Ahem," Lucas said, causing everyone to look up at him as he stood by the bed and watched amusedly. "Not that I don't wish I had a camera to Youtube this family moment, but I believe you two had plans to perform?"

"Oh yeah!" Brody said, jumping up and clearing his throat. William scrambled off the bed and went to stand next to his brother, who was shuffling in a do-wop move as he began to sing.

"_Lady...  
Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady  
Place no one above ya, sweet lady  
Don't cha know we love ya?" _

His voice lowered an octave as he said quickly, "_You are appreciated_"

Peyton snickered as William piped up indignantly. "Hey! That's not happy birthday!"

Lucas ruffled Brody's hair. "I think someone's been spending too much time with Uncle Skills listening to rap music."

"I think you're right, and its not Brody. How did you know that was a song by 2Pac?" Peyton said, chuckling as she clapped Anna's hands together playfully.

"Hey, how did _you_ know that was a song by 2Pac?" Brody said, amazed.

Peyton was unfazed. "He was _my_ friend before he was _your_ uncle, babe."

"Oh." Brody said, stumped.

"Spoken like a true Scott." Peyton said, glancing at Lucas, as they shared a memory.

"Okay, okay. We have a mission guys, lets not get sidetracked. Anna's getting hungry." Lucas reminded the boys.

Peyton looked down at Anna, who was oblivious as she sat contently in Peyton's arms twirling a curl around her finger. It wasn't Anna who needed fortification after her morning of vigorous exercise. Smiling, Peyton listened then gushed enthusiastically over her sons' rendition of 'Happy Birthday,'

Definitely the best birthday ever, and the day wasn't even over yet. But then, she was lucky enough to say that every year.

----------LP --------------

You know I had to throw in some Leyton kiddie interaction!

Need some suggestions on Peyton's favorite restaurant at the ripe old age of 28!

So Brody said 'Oh' and it reminded me of Lucas saying Oh to Peyton when she told him she loved him, so I wrote the chapter that way, and then I remembered that in this universe that scene never happened, but I liked it so much I just had to create a new memory for them, because that is just so classic Lucas! So moral of the story is, the Oh memory will probably be in a flashback

Ill always love my mama, shes my favorite girl. Line from a song from the Intruders

Song Brody sang is Dear Mama, by 2Pac.

If you are curious about the newly attempted stories, PM me and I can give you a synapsis.


	23. Chapter 23

Its working! I read my first review from stagediva and it made me smile and write a Breyton scene! Yay! Keep 'em coming guys! BTW, no more chapter titles, since when you save them they show up. Annoying much?

A-dono- I feel you. Your fic is helping me, so hears hoping my fic helps you. Reviews really do make the difference. Hope you liked my last one.

Kelsey- Of course I miss reading your reviews, since I still get to read and love Archways and Endings. BTW, Gonna be real upset if Peyton doesnt come back and save the day. Id even be okay if Brucas stayed together, if Peyton had a hand in it(not really, but Im being magnanimous).

Thank you all for your wonderful thoughts u send my way. Im all atwitter. :)

---LP---

Chapter 23

As Brooke exited the basement, Lucas entered the kitchen, an excited William bouncing around him playfully.

"Can I pour, huh Daddy? Can I pour?" William said, tugging on whatever piece of clothing he could reach.

"I don't know Dad, I think I'm liking Scooter with a little more grouchy parts and a lot less hyper parts." Brody joked, following close behind with Anna in his arms.

Brooke looked at William in amazement. He was like a totally different child this morning. "Wow, William! You are so excited today! Is it because of your mom's birthday?" Brooke asked, smiling.

"Yup!" He said, bounding over to her. "Its Momma's birthday, so Brody got me up early so I could get rid of my grouchy parts and sing her "Happy Birthday!" He said, beaming with pride.

"I bet that was the best present a girl could ask for!" Brooke said, eyes wide and playing up his enthusiasm.

William's eyes widened with hers. "That's what Momma said!" He said in amazement. "Maybe you are momma's friend after all." He thought about it for a moment, then smiled at Brooke. "You can call me Scooter. Its okay now." He said, before running to Lucas, who was standing at the stove and shaking his head in laughter at his son's dramatic personality change.

"Why, thank you!" Brooke said, honestly touched.

"You're welcome." William said simply, before being picked up by Lucas to help pour the omelette mix.

"So Lucas," Brooke said casually, making her way over to the stove. "What are your plans today for Peyton's birthday?"

"Well," Lucas said, placing William down after successfully pouring the mix with minimum spillage. "Breakfast is first with the just us, then we open presents from the kids, and then the girls will be coming by to steal Peyton for the day, and then dinner and drinks at TRIC." Lucas said, ticking off the agenda.

"My mom and dad will watch all the kids at Nathan's house, so the entire gang can meet up." He added, fiddling with the eggs as they began to harden.

"Is any of it a surprise?" Brooke whispered, remembering how much Peyton hated surprises.

"Nope." Lucas grinned. "Peyton hates surprises. I found that out quickly enough the first time I tried to do something special for her birthday. Brody was almost 2, and we were living with Nathan and Haley, and though we loved them, and they were our family, I thought it would be a good idea to have a day to ourselves, so Nathan and Haley took Brody and Jamie for the day to give us some time alone."

"That's so romantic!" Brooke said, smiling.

Lucas laughed and shook his head. "Maybe to someone whose name isn't Peyton. She threw a fit! Told me in no uncertain terms that I could get all lovey dovey some other day, but she had enough birthdays without a family, and now that she had one, I was not going to take away her chance to do it right. _'Birthdays are for family! And mine doesn't start until mine gets back!'_ she said, storming up the stairs. And it didn't until they did."

Lucas paused to flip the omelet. "So, from then on, no more birthday surprises, and Peyton plans her day, which usually involves face time with everyone in her orbit."

"Any chance for some Brooke face time?" Brooke slid in, shrugging a shoulder and offering a half-smile.

Lucas looked up about to speak, the 'no' forming on his lips, then he paused at the hopeful look on Brooke's face. "Uhh, you'll have to talk about that with her."

"Happy birthday to me…" They turned as Peyton swept in the room, singing.

"I live in the 'Tree'…" William and Brody giggled, and Lucas smiled at the play on words.

"Wife to Lu-cas, Mom to Bro-dyyyyy," She paused for dramatic effect.

"William and Anna Kay-ley!" finishing, Peyton bowed, to the cheers of her boys and the excited squeals and claps of her baby girl. Anna began to frantically motion with her hands.

"Oh, Tink wants more, huh?" Peyton said, going over and nuzzling Anna, who sat in her high chair. "Well, Momma wants the words, so if you can say it, I'll replay it!" She said, gazing expectantly at the little girl.

Anna scowled, making the hand gesture again. Peyton raised a brow as she looked at the expression of her baby girl's face. "Well, its _my_ birthday, and I invented stubborn, Mistress Anna, so we can do this all day."

Anna thought about it, then turned to Lucas as if for help. He raised his hands. "Hey, don't look at me. I gave up a long time ago." Brooke couldn't help but stifle a chuckle that the interaction between the three, as if Anna was really having a conversation when she hadn't said a word.

Apparently they really were, because Anna turned back to Peyton and raised her arms imploringly. "Mo'?"

Peyton smiled and scooped Anna up, beginning to dance around the room. "I just love it when you speak, my full heart just skips a beat. You are so my favorite girl, cause someday you'll rule the world!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, the newest artist on Mood Music Productions!" Lucas said teasingly as he slid the bacon out of the oven and put it on the table. "Now, give me my child so we can eat."

"I will give you _my_ child so we can eat, and I can open my fabulous presents from the most wonderful children in the world!" Peyton sang, turning Anna over to Lucas.

"What?" Brody joked. "You mean my singing wasn't enough?"

Peyton stopped and a serious look crossed her face. "Of course your singing is enough." She sat down and a sly look crossed her face. "If you had said that was your present to me. But since you didn't, I'm now expecting something else." She leaned across the table, looking into his grinning face. "And you don't want to disappoint me, do you?"

"Well, I guess since you put it like that…I'll remember that next time." He said, waggling his fork at her.

"Momma, I got you no grouchy parts _and_ singing, _and_ something else!" William chimed in, not to be outdone.

"I am just the luckiest mom in the world with all of that, now aren't I?"

"You sure are!" William said, causing everyone to laugh as he dug into his plate.

The rest of the meal passed quickly, with the banter flying around the table, and the kids debating eagerly what they would do with themselves while Peyton enjoyed her day with her girlfriends.

They moved to the living room and Peyton sat on the ottoman while everyone crowded around her as she opened her presents. The morning passed quickly, and during a quiet moment, apparently rare, Brooke pulled Peyton aside and asked if they could talk for a moment.

"What's up?" Peyton said, as Brooke led her to the basement.

"Well, I just wanted a moment to give you my present and tell you happy birthday personally." Brooke said, pulling the wrapped gift out of the closet and handing it to Peyton.

Peyton smiled as she opened it. "You didn't have to get me anything!"

"I know, but I wanted to." Brooke said, smiling as Peyton pulled out the sketchpad. "I figured you could use it for our little tradition. Lucas told me I should talk to you to find out when we could fit in some time together, since I know your day is busy."

"This is a nice gesture Brooke, but I don't draw on my birthdays anymore." Peyton said, looking up from the present. At the sight of Brooke's face falling, Peyton hurried to explain. "I love my present, I do, but since art is now my job and this is my birthday, I try to take the day off from business unless something really inspires me."

"Oh. Right. I guess that makes sense." Brooke said, turning away for a moment. She turned back to Peyton after composing herself and giving herself a stern talking to. What did she expect? Of course things would be different 10 years later! They weren't kids anymore. "So, girls day out it is!" Brooke said brightly.

Peyton smiled and shook her head. "More like dinner and a night at TRIC it is. I wont be back from hanging with Haley, Joy, and Faith until right before dinner, so I wont see you until then. It's turned into a tradition." Peyton chuckled at the memory. "What turned into a lunch date kept morphing into the entire afternoon, so one year Lucas was just like, "Just don't bring her back until dinner. That way I can plan my day."

This time, Brooke managed to successful hide the blow she felt at the lack of invitation to join the girls day out. "Makes sense." She forced a small laugh. "So what should I wear to TRIC?"

"Its a casual club, so jeans and heels, or a dress. Whatever you want." Peyton said, waving a hand in the air.

"MA! Aunt Haley's here!" Brody called down the stairs.

Peyton turned to Brooke and smiled. "Alright!" She called up to Brody before turning back to Brooke. "I'll see you at dinner!" she said before heading up the stairs, leaving Brooke to drop the fake smile and sink to the bed, deflated from the unintended rejection of plans never made.

----LP-----

"So how's it feel to be so close to thirty its taking your order?" Faith joked as they perused the menu of their favorite restaurant.

"I don't know, why don't you tell me since I'm the last birthday of the year. It's been talking to you for months!" Peyton shot back.

"Hey, I thought we left the kids at home!" Haley said, breaking in to interrupt the playful banter.

"Apparently not," Joy said smoothly, not even taking her gaze from the menu.

Faith and Peyton looked at each other, nodded, then together, snatched the menu from Joy's hands. Haley covered her mouth with her hands to hide her laughter as Joy glared at the two best friends. "Nice. Very nice. I think you've proven my point ladies." Joy said as she didn't even blink, taking the menu from in front of Peyton and continuing her perusal.

"Aww, Joy's no fun," Faith pouted, passing Peyton the stolen menu as Joy continued to ignore them.

"I'm choosing to blame it on the fact that a) she is missing her baby boy and b) having said baby boy means she cannot drink with us." Peyton joked, raising her mimosa in a mock toast.

"Do you guys ever wonder why we even look at the menu when we come here all the time?" Haley mused, trying to change the subject even as she smiled at Peyton's joke. The barbs would fly all day if Haley didn't stop the rhythm.

"Because they might have new specials, and its my favorite place, and its my birthday!" Peyton replied, sounding like William, before pointedly humming as she stared intently at a menu they all knew she could recite by heart.

"How are you doing on your first outing away from JJ?" Faith asked seriously, turning to Joy.

Joy laughed. "Better than I did yesterday. I had Jake watch him while I went to the grocery store for an hour. I wanted to get all my crying out the way so I wouldn't ruin this one's big day." Joy said, nodding her head toward Peyton.

Peyton looked up from the menu and turned serious. "You know you could have brought him. 6 week old first babies are always allowed on girl dates, even if they are boys! Remember how Tink was with us 2 years ago?"

Joy patted Peyton's arm. "All jokes aside, I know I could have brought him. But he's fine, and Jake was excited about the male bonding they were going to do before the party tonight, so it worked out perfectly. Jenny's at Karen's with Lily, so it's just the two of them."

"Eating and burping with no girls to tell them to mind their manners? They'll be fine." Faith said, nodding in agreement.

"Do you think we should worry that our kids are best friends with each other and no one outside the circle?" Haley mused, now stuck on the comment made about Jenny and Lily. "I mean, you've got Lily and Jenny, Jamie, Einstein and Andre, Brian, Scooter and KJ…"

"And AJ and Anna's best friends are their Daddies." Faith finished for her, starting up fresh peals of laughter.

"I don't think it's a problem." Peyton said, thinking about it as they calmed. "I mean, look. Andre and Jenny aren't related to anyone in the group, and Andre's mom isn't even in our circle. It just probably feels inclusive because _we_ are all friends, and everyone's kids are always together. Not to mention that I just had 3 neighborhood kids clean out my popsicle stash the other day, so I know my children at least _talk_ to other kids, which is better than what Brooke and I did at their age. Back then, it was just the two of us."

"And Nathan, when he wasn't playing basketball, which was never." Peyton added as an afterthought.

"I guess you're right. Look at us, right?" Haley said, smiling around the table.

"Actually, I was thinking the other day how I really needed to expand my friend base outside of this cult we've got going on." Peyton joked.

"Speaking of Brooke, how are you doing now that she is back?" Joy asked, handing her menu to the waiter, who had come by to take their order after Peyton's last comment.

Peyton sat back in her chair. "It's weird really. I want to be mad at her for being gone so long- I _am_ mad at her for being gone so long- but I cant seem to express it. In fact, I am so far from expressing it I am bending over backwards to take her side against everyone, even though they are saying what _I've_ felt all these years."

"What's holding you back?" Haley asked, confused. Peyton was never one to pull punches, so it was a shock to them all that she was feeling this way.

Peyton sighed. "Part of me is scared that if no one acts glad to see her, she will run away again. You know how fragile her ego is," Peyton said, Faith and Haley nodding, having memories of Brooke and her reactions to slights, real and imagined.

Peyton hesitated, then sighed again. "I feel so guilty for saying this, but a bigger part of me is glad she was gone so long, so I don't feel like I have the right to be mad for getting what I kind of wanted. I mean, if she hadn't left, I wouldn't have Brody right now. And I wouldn't have Lucas."

Everyone at the table began to protest that of course she would still have Lucas- Peyton held up her hand to stop them. "Doesn't matter, that's not a possibility anymore, I know. But for that first year, I both prayed for and dreaded her return, especially before Luke and I were together. I mean, you know him Haley. Back me up on this. If Brooke had stayed, even if she had come back in those first couple of months, wouldn't Luke have gotten back with her?"

Haley looked away, unable to cosign what she knew to be a fact.

"I don't believe it." Joy said stubbornly. "I've seen how in love you two are."

"And Luke wouldn't have been her for very long! He couldn't stand girls like her in high school!" Faith added.

"Are you forgetting that Lucas was _with_ Brooke in high school? That he decided I was too complicated, which is why Brody is here in the first place?" Peyton said, throwing up her hands. "That summer before Brooke dropped off Brody, all Luke could talk about was how he was going to win Brooke back. How maybe he should give Brooke another chance. So you can imagine how knowing that if Brooke had come back, it would be her having lunch with you right now, swapping kid stories wars with you, instead of me, wishing my best friend could have been there when I got everything I wished for." Peyton said, her hands folding outward, as if cradling the two choices within.

"Lucas would have com back to you eventually. Surely you don't doubt that!" Faith protested.

"Look, I know that I have always been Luke's number one, no matter how jacked up his decisions have been in the past. That issue is long gone." Peyton said, waving her hand in the air as if said issue was floating between them. "But you forget, Brooke had his child, and he _did_ have feelings for her. No matter how much he loved me, he would not have pulled a Dan, especially when at the time I was still in my 'Jake' phase."

'So if Brooke had stayed, Lucas would have been with her for Brody, and you would have gone back to Jake?" Joy said, putting it all together. "Well, here's to Brooke for staying away!" She said, raising her glass of apple cider in a toast.

Peyton nodded her head in agreement, glad Joy understood the dilemma. "I cant be mad at her for staying away when I owe my life to her staying away."

"As much as I am glad you and Luke were able to be together, she still shouldn't have stayed out of touch for so long." Haley said, finally joining the conversation. She knew what Peyton said was true, but still. "Maybe what she did for Brody was the best thing for him, but what about you? She left you here to deal with the insults and the high school drama she tried to avoid by having her baby out of town. There was no contact for 10 years" Haley said, ticking the reasons off on her fingers. "Yes, you were her best friend, but _she_ was yours. She should have been there for you, and she wasn't. And that is inexcusable."

"You do have a right to be angry with her for that, Peyt, regardless of how it worked out." Faith agreed, her clinical training coming through. "And honestly, if she is going to run again because of you being justifiably upset, its probably better to know now she hasn't changed than when everybody's attached and more likely to be hurt."

Peyton let out a watery laugh, the conversation causing her to tear up. "You guys sound like Lucas." She sniffed. Wiping her eyes, she shook her head. "Ugghhh! Whatever. Its over, it is what is and this is a happy day! No sadness, no Brooke talk; just us talk, and my b-day talk. Drama can wait until tomorrow."

Faith stood up and hugged Peyton around the neck, before standing back up and cocking her hand back. "Ok. No Brooke talk and back to birthday celebrations! Shall I start the birthday licks?"

--------------LP----------------------------

"Apparently drama couldn't wait until tomorrow." Peyton thought as she walked through the cemetery towards her mother's grave, recognizing the figure of the woman who stood beside it.

------------LP-------------------------

Id ask you to guess who is waiting for Peyton at her moms grave, but everyone knows who it is!

Not my favorite chapter, but it did what it had to do. Tell me your thoughts about Peytons mental dilemma!


	24. Chapter 24

So I was avoiding this chapter because I like fluffy, and this is not fluffy, and people were complaining that this was too fluffy, so they should be happy. :) Did that make _any_ sense? Lol. I have no idea who is still around, so say something if you are still reading. I've missed you guys. Your reviews inspire writing. Shout outs.

EVERYONE THANK FILEFREAKS FOR THIS CHAPTER. Apparently threatening to not be my friend is what inspires me to write. I was told we were fighting until I posted for this story, and I wrote this the same night. Go figure.

stagediva- congrats on graduating and moving. I just moved too, as I said in a note of my other fic, and it took me a month to get back to reviewing, so I understand. BTW, I see curly haired movie producers in the future too, but it might be a while before we get there.

Steff- I am waiting for the rest of my chapter reviews! I love them long, so keep them coming! I am glad you took a chance on RBD!

LPLover- Thanks for waiting, you know I cant stay away for long.

A-non-Lurker- I dont think it would have been Brooke there either, because Brooke is not as open as PEyton, and if they did stay together, they'd be in NY somewhere like the season 6 opener. But if it were Brooke there, I wouldnt be writing the story, cause I am LP all the way! :)

Oreo- may I call you oreo? :) I love long reviews, so keep them coming! Thank you for taking a chance on my story. I dont like season 1 Brooke either, but I love the redemption to season 5 Brooke, and I hope I can get there here. Feel free to give me any suggestions on how to do so. And Scooter gets his love of mechanics from his dad (remember Luke did a lot of work at the body shop before bball). Anything else you'd like to see him have of Luke's? I am open to suggestions. And thank you for your sympathies.

BK- I am glad she left too, which is why its been hard to write angry Peyton, because really, what leyton fan is upset she left in the first place in this story? But angry Peyton needs to happen at some point, so she will get there eventually.

HJS- I have no idea what they got her! lol. If you want, give me your ideas, and Ill write a flashback for you. But that was a scene I couldnt see, so I skipped it.

Kelsey- Ive missed you love. And I want to see what happens in Nashville. Lets work on that shall we?

IcyGold- thank you for your words of wisdom. I am trying hard to figure out what Leyton would actually fight about, cause large arguments really werent their mo. PM if you have some ideas, because in the show, the only time the two of them fought it was around expressing their feelings for each other. And even apart, their anger didnt last long enough to rock their friendship. So, once they're together, what is there for them to argue about that'll cause hurt feelings? Other people can respond to this too, because I have been giving this alot of thought.

RJ- There is no Lucas/Brooke, because there is no friendship there. They missed that part because Brooke left before it could happen. Luke took care of the kids and the house, and Brooke hung around waiting for Peyton, maybe not even with the others.

Juzzy, Jamy- good to see you.

Nike- welcome! Hope to see you again!

Crazyjan- I couldnt see Brooke there. It would mess up the best friend dynamic I wanted to show you. It hurt me too, but it also showed me how far Brooke had fallen out of place in Peyton's world.

A-dono- not an easy road at all. As it should be. And I hope this brightens your day. I read your fics when Im down. You read mine for the same. And the world keeps turning.

-LP-

I waited for Peyton to arrive, giving up pacing to sit on the bench next to her mother's grave. After waiting all day for her to come home from her lunch date, I remembered yet another tradition that Peyton probably still engaged in on her birthday, and it looked like I was right. The doubt that had lingered in my mind that too much time had passed for us to get back to where we were had vanished as she approached. I still knew her.

I did.

"Brooke" Peyton said as she neared.

"Hey" I said, feeling smug at the realization that there were pieces of my best friend I hadn't missed being away.

"What are you doing here?" Peyton said, sounding a little irritated that her time with her mother was being interrupted by someone else. But I wasn't someone else, I was Brooke Davis, and I still remembered the times we would come together because she needed me.

_"Brooke come with me please? I don't want to be alone."_

"Well, even though you don't draw anymore, I figured you probably still kept this tradition, and I wanted to spend some time with you today for your birthday." I said, rising from my position on the nearby bench.

"Listen, Brooke, can we do this tomorrow? I really need to talk to my mom about something, so I can be in the right frame of mind for my family tonight." Peyton said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Actually, I was really hoping to spend some time with you today." I said, unable to keep the hurt out of my voice. "I mean, you've spent time with your family and your friends, which is understandable, but you and I haven't had _any_ time together and I _am_ your best friend." I had made overtures all day to try to rebuild our relationship, and I was tired of being rebuffed.

"_Were_ my best friend. You _were_ my best friend." Peyton snapped, not happy with the guilt Brooke could make her feel even after 10 years apart.

"I see." I said, wounded. "If that's how you feel, I'll leave you alone, then." I let my face show my rejection, as I turned to slowly walk back to my car. I knew I was being passive- aggressive, but this was a game we played often. Peyton would snap, I would pout, and she would give in. It was for her own good anyway. We had gone too long without being together, and we needed to get back to the business of being best friends. Hanging on the sidelines wasn't working for me.

"Brooke…" Peyton said plaintively, words of apology on her lips. I smiled to myself but kept walking, stoically keeping my martyr pose. Let Peyton see how hurt I was, so that she would change her mind, apologize, and we could spend some time together and get back on track to being close again.

"No, dammit, I'm not playing this game!" Peyton swore, surprising me into halting and looking back at her.

"You don't get to come back here after 10 years with no contact and mess with my head! I'm not 17, you are not my only support in the world, and I have been through _too_ much without you for how you feel to matter more than me!" Peyton said, pointing her fingers at me accusingly.

"Peyt, I.." I said, stuttering, stunned at the unexpected reaction. This was not how this was supposed to go.

"No!" Peyton slashed her hands through the air, creating an invisible X. "You know what? Haley was right. This whole time I've been bending over backwards, trying to make sure you were okay, that you felt loved and supported and forgiven. Because I love you, and because that what I've always done; because you were my best friend. But even now, in spite of all that's happened with us, you just cant give it back to me can you? All I asked for was time to spend with my mom, to talk about how I shouldn't be mad at you for being gone for more than a third of my life, and you couldn't even give me that because there was something _you_ wanted more!

My eyes widened at the unexpected spew. Give it back to her? That's what I was trying to do! I opened my mouth to respond, but she continued before I could say anything, deflating as fast as she blew up.

"Well, I'm tired." Peyton said, calming down. "I'm tired of being scared that my best friend is gonna leave me again with no word because of something I say or do, or because her feelings get hurt when someone is a little too honest. And I'm tired of holding onto something I don't even know is there anymore."

I stared at her, a cold feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. I hadn't even thought about what the tiny manipulation I had just attempted to pull would do to Peyton. After all, I had been doing it to her for over 10 years with success when we were kids. Once again, I hadn't thought at all. Peyton had been so good to me since I had been back, I assumed all had been forgiven, and Peyton was as happy to have me back as I was to be back, and we could go back to our way of being. Apparently I was wrong.

"You were my _best_ friend, Brooke. You were my everything, my mother, father, sister, _everything_. And you _knew_ it. And don't think I didn't realize that you used it to manipulate me, cause I did, and it didn't matter, cause I would have done anything not to lose someone else from my life." Peyton said angrily. "I even gave up the boy I loved for you, because foolish me, I thought a 14 year friendship was worth more than some high school love affair." A tear begin to fall unnoticed down her cheek, and it was like a shot to my chest. Peyton never cried.

"But you know what just occurred to me today, at my lunch, as I was defending you to the people who have been there for me the past ten years? It should have been you there. It should have been you with me when I had my first child. You should have been the one Anna was named after. When Lucas and I fought, it should have been you I called when I was upset, or you taking me lingerie shopping when it was time to make up. Hell, you should have been at lunch today, defending yourself!"

"I realized today I was ready to give up the life I have now before I even had it, for a woman who could leave without saying goodbye for 10 years. Not just one year, not even 4. 10 years, Brooke! And even then, it was because you had no place else to go! We were _best friends_!" Peyton's voice broke, and we both stood there in silence, Peyton attempting to compose herself, and me at a loss for what to say.

"But maybe that's the problem. Because _we_ were never best friends. I was _your_s, but you were never mine. I thought about you everyday for _years_. I wrote blogs to you hoping you'd respond. I created websites so you would know what was going on in my life. I'd tell Brody about you, ready to step aside if you ever came back, because you were my best friend, and I just _knew_ you were coming back. Because if the roles were reversed, I knew I wouldn'tve been able to stay away without my heart breaking."

Peyton sighed. "And now you're back, and I'm still that 17 year old doing whatever I can to hold onto you. But I'm _not_ 17. And Im _tired_ of doing all the holding. I think of Lucas, and Nathan and Haley, and Joy and Faith, and I have thousands of memories of how they're put me first, showed me love, been there for me over the past 10 years. I sat there at lunch today trying to defend what I don't understand- you being gone for so long- and I realized that in my attempt to prove to my family why you were my best friend, I had just proven that you weren't that even then."

"Peyton, you're my best friend" I said plaintively, meaning it. She was my best friend. My only friend. Of course I loved her. Of course I thought about her all these years.

"I don't doubt I'm _your_ best friend when you need something, or when you want something. But these 10 years and 7 days have shown me that you're not mine. And I don't know where that leaves us." Peyton said sadly.

I stood there, searching for the words that would prove to her that she was wrong, that her accusations were false. I watched her stand there, waiting for me to defend myself, waiting for me to say something that would let her know that she was right in defending me to her family and friends.

You see, I did know my best friend. I knew that with the right words, this would be over, and we would go back to what we were. But there was no defense for me. Nothing I could find to say. Because every word she had spoken was a truth I'd always known in my heart. My friendship with Peyton had always been skewed, my ability to be there for her overshadowed constantly by my own wants and desires. I'd always loved her, but I'd loved myself more.

Maybe I didn't deserve to be forgiven. We weren't the first childhood friends that didn't make it to adulthood together, and the fault lay squarely on my shoulders. Even today it was about me and my desires for our friendship. Though I knew I needed her, for the first time in my life, I thought about if she needed me.

I couldn't find a reason to say yes, so where _did_ that leave us? It left me in the cemetery, standing alone, watcing my best friend walk away because even now, when it was all on the line, I still had nothing to give.

-LP-

Who was expecting that? Not me! Whats going to happen to our duo? I was so inspired by this turn of events, the next chapter is already written! I am going to post a Love is Letting Go (LLG) chapter first, then give u more of this goodness! RBD is back! And yes, that was a shameless plug for my other fics.

Steff, you and a lot of other people called the blow-up, but even I didnt see it in Brooke POV until I wrote the whole thing, and she kept crying to be heard. Let me know what you think...


	25. Chapter 25

Hey guys! Glad to be back! And you know your reviews give me fuel to write, so here's another chapter. AND I LOVE LONG REVIEWS! The longer the better, so dont ever apologize for a pager! I enjoy reading them almost as much as I like writing a response. :)

Rae- the same thing happened to me as well, except it was my sister, and she had a 2 year old daughter she took with her when she disappeared for 4 years. So I write Peyton with experience from being in her shoes. Im glad you can relate as well, though I am not glad you had to go through it as well (did that make any sense?) I hope you keep enjoying!

A-dono- you are spot on! I am glad you are seeing what I see- the two sides to the story. Both characters deserve sympathy, and I am glad I havent taken Brooke so far away that people dont want her to come back.

Darksye! Love you too! I was waiting for Peyton to blow, which is why that chapter took so long to write- I was scared of what she was going to say. lol. Go figure. But I am glad its done, because now that everything is out, I can work on fixing things up and moving on to more awesomeness!

Stagediva- You probably wont see first person again until flashbacks. Ive been writing LLG n the first person, and in AFB all of Brookes stuff was in first person, so when it felt weird in the third person I changed it to first person and it flowed better. It wasnt until you said something that I went back and realized I had been doing Brooke in third person in this fic, and that made the chapter unusual. I was unclear by your review though, did you like it in first person or prefer it the other way? (You can be honest, I need criticism to get better) I dont know if you will see a flashback of Brooke giving birth, but you will definitely see flashbacks of Brookes life, which will help mend some fences I think. It hasnt all been puppy dogs and rainbows. Movie producer will come after fences have been mended. So maybe we are about halfway through the fic? We'll probably get all the flashbacks out the way before we move to current times. But who knows? Although I am the writer, I have very little control over the muse.

Kelsey- dont worry about it. Life flows, and sometimes that means fanfics dont. Ive got you on alert darling, so when you do come back, Ill be here. Anywho, what is LJ? Am I missing fics? Do share!

Crazyjan- that is a good question. Hopefully it becomes clear as we move through.

Grayfan- I love the Breyton friendship almost as much as I love the Leyton relationship. So you know we've got to get back to it. But what it will look like, that is the question at hand.

HJS- I agree. I think its easy to write blow up than it is to have them in real life, but it really clears the air so people can move on!

Steff- you are not alone! I often have to reread to put myself back into the characters frame of mind (and also because I love the story! :)). By the way, I have been a poor reviewer, but I absolutely love you fic far away! Ive been reading on my phone, but now that I have internet at home I will try to review more often! And I LOVE MY LONG REVIEWS, so keep them coming!

-LP-LP-LP-

"Babe, I'm at our spot. Can you come get me?"

The phone call from Peyton had Lucas dropping everything, including his kids half-ready at Naley's house. A quick "Somethings up with Peyton" to Haley and he was off, driving like a madman to a juncture well known to both of them. She sounded too solemn for this to be a rendezvous, and too upset for this to be a legitimate need for a car repair. The fact that his wife left bubbly and returned broken was almost too much for Lucas to bear, and he was grim as he got out of the car and walked towards his wife, who was sitting on the hood of the comet and gazing out at the lake. As he drew closer, he saw the tracks of tears on her face.

He climbed up onto the hood of the car and drew her into his arms, the two of them falling back onto the hood in a synchronized fashion that came from spending more than 10 years being there for each other.

He felt her begin to shake in his arms, and he tightened his grip, half in comfort, half in anger at whatever had caused his wife to lose her strength and give in to tears. Peyton had never been one for tears, defiance and anger serving as her bravado against hurt and pain, and that meant whatever it was she was dealing with went deep.

"I told off Brooke today, basically telling her we weren't friends anymore." Peyton asked quietly after calming, her face in the center of his chest, her hands, per usual, fiddling with the buttons of his shirt. "And instead of feeling better, I'm sitting here deathly afraid that when I go home tonight she wont be there anymore. Why does she still have a hold on me?"

"Because you love her. Because she's your best friend. Because she's your Haley." Lucas sighed. So this was about Brooke. This was exactly why he was so resistant to her reentering their lives. Nothing good was going to come out of it.

"She cant be my Haley, because Haley loves you back. Haley's there for you when you need her. Haley didn't disappear for 10 years after leaving you to raise Jamie. Haley isn't going to leave again just because you yelled at her for the first time in your life." Peyton argued, thumping her hand against his chest at every inflection.

"Hey, hey. Real human under there." Lucas said, grabbing her fist and bringing it to his mouth to kiss. He smiled as he got a chuckle out of her.

"Oh yeah. Sorry." Peyton said, pressing a kiss to the chest she had so abused.

"Well, Brooke was there for you when your mom died. And when that guy tried to rape you at that Duke party. And she did defend you against Nicki." Lucas said, thinking back to high school. "And those are only the times I know about. I'm sure that there were more, since you were willing to let me go to keep her friendship all those years ago."

"She _was_ there for me when my mom died. But that was when we were 10 years old, Luke! I'm not denying when we were younger she was a good friend. But since high school things changed. I was alone at the Duke party that night to _begin_ with because she ditched me to hook up with college guys. And I got into it with Nicki in the _first_ place because she brought Nicki to the party to help her bitch at me!" Peyton sat up to glare at him. "You just heard her say a couple of days ago she even knew I had feelings for you and went after you anyway! And you are defending her?"

Lucas threw up his hands. "I know, I know. I'm surprised myself. But you love her, and she loves you, and as much as I hate it, its too strong for it to just go away. You have a tendency to love unconditionally, but I cant even be mad at that, cause if you didn't love so hard, we wouldn't still be together. So I cant say just let her go, cause there is something real there. Remember, I was there when you were passed out from the drug that guy gave you. And I was a witness to caring when she called me, a perfect stranger outside her clique, to rescue you; I saw the love and concern in her eyes as she watched over you. It's how Brody was even able to be, because it was then I realized what you already knew- there is more to Brooke Davis then even she knows."

He bent and kissed her curls. "Face it honey, you're a martyr. You see the good in people and are willing to suffer through until they see it in themselves. You saw the good in Nathan, even when the rest of us only saw a jerk. You saw the good in me, even when I was being an idiot and straying from us. And you saw the good in Brooke, even though the rest of the world had written her off as shallow and egocentric."

"And I've finally come to realize the world was right." Peyton said bitterly.

Lucas wrapped her in his arms. "Now we're switching places. You've defended her for so long, you've got me thinking there is something more to Brooke Davis, and maybe she just needs some help bringing it out. After all, she did give us Brody, and she did leave us alone for 10 years. If that's not love, I don't know what is." Lucas joked, chuckling as Peyton hit him again, this time intentionally.

"I just don't understand how she could stay away for so long if she loves me like you say she does." Peyton said, refusing to give in.

Lucas, pulled her chin up to look her in the eyes. "Well then, maybe you should ask her."

He sighed, then sat up, pulling her up with him. "But not today. Today, you are going to celebrate the fact that you are another year older, wiser, and hotter, and you are going to party like you cant believe you got so lucky as to marry a man as handsome as me."

Peyton chuckled. "You have been hanging out with Nathan and Skills way too long."

Lucas arched his brow. "Do you deny it?"

In response, Peyton rubbed her nose against his and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I plead the fifth, on the grounds that if your head gets any bigger, you wont be able to fit in your car and Ill be forced to drive the suv home." At his look of confusion, she clarified. "My car's top comes down?"

At his glare, Peyton laughed and hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad you're mine." She whispered.

"Yet another thing you can thank Brooke leaving for." Lucas said, hugging her back. She stepped back and glared at him again.

"Too soon?"

"Oh, that will never be funny."

-lp-lp-lp-

Thoughts? One day Peyton's b-day will be over, but not yet. Longest bday ever, huh? Its because Im rusty, and chapters are short. But that just means more frequent postings!


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 25

"Do you know how much I love your mother?" Peyton said, pulling Lucas down to speak in his ear, to be heard over the crowd. Truth was, she used any excuse to be close to him. Not that she ever needed one, but today she was feeling fragile.

"Probably about as much as I love her." Lucas said, grinning. Thanks to Karen and Keith, the entire crew was able to celebrate Peyton's birthday adult style at TRIC, yet another semi-annual celebration. Just because she chose art for a career didn't mean her heart stopped beating to the rhythm of the music, and Karen's willingness to watch 10 kids, including her own, allowed them all to enjoy the music scene at TRIC together. Music and of course, drinks.

"Hey where is everyone? I thought they were right behind us?" Peyton said, looking around after she accepted the drink Lucas handed her. They had just left Nathan's house, where everyone gathered to join in Peyton's birthday dinner and drop off their kids before heading to TRIC for the night. Peyton began the night subdued, but quickly brightened as the love and support (and ribbing) soothed the wound confronting Brooke had inadvertently created.

"That is a good question." Lucas agreed, turning Peyton towards the stage as the house music stopped and a familiar figure stepped out on stage.

"How's everybody doing tonight!" Joy said, grinning as she caught Peyton's eye in the crowd. "Today's my friend Peyton's birthday, and I want everyone to feel free to congratulate her on her downward spiral to old age by buying her a drink while she is still young enough to enjoy it!" Cheers and chuckles rippled through the crowd as the spotlight landed on Peyton sarcastically laughing "Har har" by the bar, smacking Lucas' chest for the part he inevitably played in this night's entertainment.

"But seriously. This woman is one of my best friends and I love her dearly, for her warm heart, loving spirit, and kick-ass sense of humor. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. Peyton Scott, this night is yours as we celebrate the night you were born, bringing joy to so many people. Keep on doing what you do girlie."

"Now this first song is from the kids. I'd list them all but it's a lot of them. We really need to stop procreating guys, or Karen wont let us play together anymore." Joy paused until the laughter slowed. "So as they would say, "we love you momma, auntie, cousin, sister, lady down the street who lets me eat at her house. Enjoy." Joy grinned and backed up as a tune began to play from the sounds of a xylophone. Peyton chuckled too at the message- she was just complaining the other day to Joy how so many kids ran through her house during the day, she couldn't tell who she knew and didn't, and she didn't realize it until one day she came into the kitchen to find a boy she didn't know digging through the freezer for an ice pop. Apparently he'd been there before because he knew right where they were kept, but it was still a shocking experience.

Joy was soon joined by Skills, Fergie, Junk, Nathan, and Faith, beginning a two step and lip singing to an obvious recording as Haley and Jake came out with microphones to the excited cheers of the crowd.

_"Take me there_  
_I wanna go there_  
_Take me there_  
_Let's go there_  
_Take me to that great place_  
_With wonders and wishes"_

Haley sang the first verse.

_"Sittin' here thinking 'bout yesterday_  
_About what we did and how we used to play_  
_Just the thought of you bring a smile upon my face_  
_That's how it makes me feel to see you everyday_  
_oohow_  
_Where we go_  
_Nobody knows_  
_And what we do_  
_Is between me and you_

_Come on and take my hand_  
_To that special place_  
_Where smiles come to life and dreams come true"_

Peyton laughed as Skills got into the song and implemented a spin, throwing Nathan off beat as he tried to do the same.

_"Take me there_  
_I wanna go there_  
_Take me there_  
_Let's go there_  
_Take me to that great place_  
_With wonders and wishes"_

Jake raised his mike and sang the next verse.

_Just make a wish_  
_Close your eyes and count to five_  
_Cause you know that everything will be alright_  
_I see the magic in your eyes_  
_Strong enough, you know, to bring your dreams alive_

_Where we go_  
_Nobody knows_  
_And what we do_  
_Is between me and you_

_Come on and take my hand_  
_To that special place_  
_Don't want this dream to ever go away_

Everyone who had kids joined in to the song made popular by the Rugrats movie, and Peyton smiled at her kids attempt to speak to her as she often did to them- with music. She clapped enthusiastically as they all sang the chorus one final time and made their way off the stage, everyone except for Haley.

"Peyton Scott. Sister by marriage. Best friend by choice. Soldiers against the Scott forces. I love you. I'm here for you. Always." Peyton giggled when Lucas whispered, "and forever," in her ear. "We've been through a lot together, you and I. And there is no one else I'd rather have at my side then you." Something made her look to the wings of the stage. After a moment, she rolled her eyes and turned back to the crowd. "After Nathan, of course. Happy birthday, Peyt. I'm s glad I get to start enjoy another year with you, and I just wanted you to know..."

"_You have my heart_

_And we'll never be worlds apart_

_Maybe in magazines_

_But you'll still be my star_

_Baby cause in the dark_

_You can't see shiny cars_

_And that's when you need me there_

_With you I'll always share _

_Because_

_When the sun shines, we?ll shine together_

_Told you I'll be here forever_

_Said I'll always be a friend_

_Took an oath, I'ma stick it out till the end_

_Now that it's raining more than ever_

_Know that we'll still have each other_

_You can stand under my umbrella_

_You can stand under my umbrella_

_These fancy things, will never come in between_

_You're part of my entity, here for infinity_

_When the war has took it's part_

_When the world has dealt it's cards_

_If the hand is hard, together we'll mend your heart_

_Because_

_When the sun shines, we?ll shine together_

_Told you I'll be here forever_

_Said I'll always be a friend_

_Took an oath, I'ma stick it out till the end_

_Now that it's raining more than ever_

_Know that we'll still have each other_

_You can stand under my umbrella_

_You can stand under my umbrella_

_You can run into my arms_

_It's okay don't be alarmed_

_Come here to me_

_There's no distance in between our love_

_So go on and let the rain pour I'll be all you need and more_

_Because_

_When the sun shines, we?ll shine together_

_Told you I'll be here forever_

_Said I'll always be a friend_

_Took an oath, I'ma stick it out till the end_

_Now that it's raining more than ever_

_Know that we'll still have each other_

_You can stand under my umbrella_

_You can stand under my umbrella"_

The crowd cheered as Haley blew a kiss to Peyton and made her way off the stage, passing the mike to Jake, who made his way to the stool with a guitar propped up against it, laid out by the stagehands as Haley exited. Peyton wiped away the lone tear that fell at the message Haley so clearly gave her; it was much needed. She focused on Jake as he began to speak.

"Peyton. What can I sing to you that wont end me up in the doghouse with my wife or get me beat up by your husband? Nothing but happy birthday." He paused as the crowd laughed, then spoke again. "However, on behalf of said husband, I am allowed to sing for him, since he has no talent whatsoever. To Peyton, TLA, Lucas.

Peyton started as Lucas grabbed her drink from her hand and pulled her to the dance floor, sweeping her into his arms and into a slow dance as Jake began to sing.

_"Now you're my whole life,_  
_And now you're my whole world,_  
_And I just cant believe the way I feel about you girl,_  
_Like a river meets the sea, stronger than its ever been,_  
_We've come so far since that day,_  
_And I thought I loved you then_

_I remember taking you back to right where I first met you,_  
_You were so surprised_  
_There were people around, but I didn't care,_  
_I got down on one knee right there,_  
_and once again_  
_I thought I loved you then,_

_Peyton laid her head onto Lucas' shoulder, emotions welling up as she thought back to the day he proposed to her._

_""Peyton I love you, and I want us to be together forever. Youre the one I want next to me when my dreams come true and youre the one I want next to me if they don't. As long as I have you, nothing else matters. "I don't think anything other than marriage will do Ms. Sawyer." It was there, by the lake where they first spoke, that he got down on one knee and asked the most important question of his life. "Peyton, will you marry me?"_

_"Yes, baby, yes!" There was nothing else to say but yes. He was the love of her life, the father of her son and her unborn child, and she couldn't imagine spending her life with anyone else._

_She still couldn't._

_Well now you're my whole life,_  
_Now you're my whole world,_  
_I just cant believe the way I feel about you girl,_  
_Like a river meets the sea, stronger than its ever been,_  
_We've come so far since that day,_  
_And I thought I loved you then_

_I can just see you, with a baby on the way_  
_I can just see you, when your hair is turning gray_  
_What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more_  
_But Ive said that before_

_Now your my whole life_  
_Now your my whole world_  
_I just cant believe the way I feel about you girl,_  
_We'll look back someday at this moment that we're in_  
_And i'll look at you and say_  
_And I thought I loved you then_  
_And I thought I loved you then_

Peyton pulled Lucas down for a kiss, locking her lips with his as the crowd around them went wild, stomping their feet and cheering at the witness of the show of affection between the two.

5 minutes later, they were startled out of their liplock by a throat clearing beside them. "Uh, you might want to come up for air sometime soon."

"Go away Nate." Lucas muttered against Peyton's lips, making her smile against his.

"I could, but then Jake would just interrupt you again. Then Joy, then Faith, then Haley… probably not in that order, but you get my drift." Nathan said, tucking his hands in his pockets as he waited. Lucas sighed, pecked Peyton's waiting lips one last time, then turned to face his brother and their friends. Nathan slapped him on the back and passed him a beer, while Haley took the moment to hug Peyton and do the same.

"To Peyton, the best sister I never had. I'd sing it to you, but you'd probably disown me from the pain it would cause and that would defeat the purpose. I love you Sawyer." Nathan said, raising his glass.

"Love you too hot shot." Peyton tipped her glass at him and together they took a drink before Nathan grabbed her up in a hug.

"Hey!" Lucas protested.

Nathan just raised a brow. "Give it up bro. Time to share. Now that the sappy stuff's out the way, its time to party like a rock star!" Nathan looked up as the house music came back on and the Black Eyed Peas filled the air. "Sawyer, lets dance."

Peyton glanced back at Lucas, laughter in her eyes as she waved goodbye. Lucas looked around at the rest of the crew, who had come behind Nathan, then shrugged. "Who am I to argue with that?" he said as he pulled Haley into crowd next to the gyrating duo. Skills and Jake grabbed their wives and joined them, and Fergie and Junk looked at each other and shrugged, ambling over to join the dancing crowd.

And any lingering sadness Peyton felt over the confrontation with Brooke was shed as she looked around at the family that had been right beside her, as they were today, for the past 10 years. She was loved, and with their help, she would find the strength to finally let Brooke go.

-lp-lp-lp-lp

le gasp! Is Brooke gone for good? For how long? Dont you just love the fave 5- now fab 10 thanks to marriage and friendship (will junk & fergie ever find true love? lol). Let me hear from you guys! Its really making the story flow!


	27. Chapter 27

Man, Im writing LLG, and Brooke is such a b-! I had to switch it up and write some redeemable Brooke for a while, so you get an update. Enjoy!

1truefan- I thought about that too, but it didnt work out. But it was a good thought!

chocolatemud- the karaoke birthday was inspired by a karaoke going away party my girlfriend had, including the non dancing background dancers. So yeah, it is corny, but having engaged in one, it is also really fun! I think the corniness is part of the charm.

misshay- victoria will be back, just not for a while

stagediva- check out the bottom for your review response.

-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-

Chapter 27

"Have I told you how much I love you today, Mrs. Scott?" Lucas murmured in her ear, kissing the pink shell as his wife stirred sleepily, waking up to his embrace.

Peyton glanced over at the clock, barely visible in the morning dawn, pretending to think. "Not in the last six hours, Mr. Scott. Tsk, tsk, tsk." She gave a throaty laugh as he growled and turned her over, rolling onto her until his body half covered hers.

"I love you, Peyton Sawyer Scott." Lucas said, lowering his lips to meet hers. "And I am so glad I get to spend another year telling you how much. The room fell silent as they indulged themselves, lost in the slow sleepy kisses that brought in the new day.

"You know, I've been thinking." He said, as he came up for air much later, nuzzling her nose with his. "I think its about time we tried for Scott baby number 4."

"Oh no!" Peyton said, half-heartedly pushing him away when he went for her neck, hoping to deepen the intimacy. "You got your girl. Factory's closed, buster."

Lucas smiled against her neck at her protest, then lifted his head to look in her eyes. "Nope. I need another one. I was promised curly blond hair and green eyes." At her raised eyebrow, he continued. "Not that I don't love my straight haired, blue eyed fairy princess. Its just not fair He listened to you instead of me." Lucas laughed as Peyton brushed her shoulders off. "Plus, I didn't realize how much we'd spoil Anna. We owe it to the world to have another girl so she doesn't grow up to be a holy terror."

"Please." Peyton scoffed, soothing her harsh tone with loving hands as she ran them through his hair. "You'd just have two little girls to spoil and carry around everywhere. One for each arm."

"Perfect! Then I'll have my two girls, like you've got your two boys." Lucas said gleefully, dodging the hands that moved to stop him as he skipped over her neck and aimed lower.

"The perfect American dream." Peyton said sarcastically. "I am ashamed to know me." She said, catching her breath as he tired of avoiding her hands and caught them both, pulling them up and over her head.

His gaze smoldered. "Fine. I'll let it go this time." He lowered his head to press his lips against hers. "But I am not forgetting you owe me some curls."

"Good luck on getting blond ones." Peyton breathed, unable to resist one last shot before she succumbed to his passionate embrace.

-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp

"_Good morning!_" Peyton sang to her kitchen as she made her way downstairs. She busied herself turning on the coffee pot and pulling out some pans to make breakfast. She thought about it for a second before putting them back in the cabinet- they were about to pick their kids up from spending the night with Karen- chances were high that breakfast would be available as well.

She was about to put them back when a voice startled her into dropping them. "Good morning."

Peyton whirled to find Brooke closing the basement door and making her way to sit at the table.

"I thought you'd left." Peyton said, her joy cooling at the sight of Brooke, even as she acknowledged the spurt of relief that passed through her at the realization that Brooke had not run away as she half-feared.

"Thought about it." Brooke admitted, taking a seat at the table. She trapped Peyton's gaze with her own. "But our friendship is too important to me to give up without a fight."

"Is that what this is?" Peyton said sarcastically, unable to help herself.

"No, and _that_'s my fault." Brooke said honestly. "And since Im the one who broke it, I need to be the one to fix it." Brooke shrugged. "I cant fix it if Im not here."

"Brooke, its been 10 years." Peyton sighed. "I don't think there is a way for us to go back to where we were, and to be honest, I don't know if I want to. It was my _best_ friend who left town without saying goodbye, left a _baby_ on my doorstep, and _disappeared_ for 10 years." She shrugged apologetically. " I honestly wonder if we had anything worth anything to begin with _to_ go back to.

"You're right." Brooke said hurriedly, not wanting Peyton to repeat any more of the reasons this wouldn't work, or she wouldn't be able to keep going. "We cant go back to where we were. ""But maybe we can be better.""

Peyton looked at her quizzically, and Brooke continued on to explain. "I wasn't a good friend to you back then, and I wasn't any kind of friend to you after I left, and Im sorry for it. I couldn't even be a good person, much less a good friend during the time I was gone, but I _can_ be now."

Brooke continued earnestly. "You let me into your home when you didn't have too, and I love and appreciate you for it. And I realize I am being selfish for wanting more, but a girl can dream." Her voice hitched on the last part, as it hit home the reality that maybe obtaining Peyton's true friendship was just that, a dream. "I hope one day you can trust me enough to let me back into your heart. And I will do _whatever_ it takes for _however_ long it takes for me to get there."

"This is a little heavy for early morning conversation." Peyton said uneasily, uncomfortable with the conversation and unsure how to respond.

Brooke paused, about to protest, but then thought better of it. "You know, you are probably right. I just wanted you to know." She took at gamble at levity. "Change of subject. So how about those Ravens? Got a shot at the championship this year?"

Peyton blinked, startled at both Brooke's easy acquiesce and the change of subject. Slowly she grinned. "With my baby as the coach, of course! But then, I am biased."

They continued the conversation, light and easy as Peyton began to make breakfast, neither one willing to break the fragile truce that appeared in the wake of cleared air.

And when Lucas entered the kitchen and the conversation turned to the plans for the coming day, Brooke sat back and observed, for the first time since her return home simply content to be apart of it.

-lp-lp-lp-lp-

She rode along in the back seat when they went to pick up the kids, listening to the murmurings of Lucas and Peyton under the music coming from the radio. She wasn't really sure what they were speaking of, but it made her smile the loving tone they used with each other. It was a pleasant change from the biting innuendos that plagued the metropolitan relationships she knew in the years before.

She should have known "We're going to pick up the kids" would turn into something more. Brooke was beginning to learn that this family used any excuse to get together, eat, and have fun.

They arrived to chaos, all of the kids out on the front lawn in bathing suits and swim trunks, running through different types of sprinklers and chasing each other with the hose. Karen sat on the front porch, cradling JJ, smiling at Keith, who was running underneath the falling water with Anna squealing in his arms. Even Brody was playing along, screaming "Wooooooo!" as he ran full tilt across the front lawn to throw himself onto the slip n slide.

Brooke took it all in. She was getting used to the organized chaos of Tree Hill, very different than the Tree Hill childhood she remembered. There was very little family interaction in her younger years, requiring all of them to grow up early. Childhood games had quickly become beneath them, and they preferred the more adult pastimes long before their childhood was truly over.

Or so she thought. As she watched Lucas and Peyton be laughingly pulled into the water play with the children, she now wondered if they really disdained it or it simply hadnt been made available to them.

There was only one way to find out. She walked over to Scooter, who was playing his own game in the sprinkler. Instead of playing _under_ the water, he looked to be playing a game of chicken with the sprinkler, squealing and running in and doing what looked like an end zone dance on the dry side of the sprinkler as the water shot out to the other side, then running safely out of the spray as it revolved back over to his side, jumping up and down in victory.

"Hey Scooter. What are you doing?" Brooke asked casually as she stood next to him waiting for the water to do its rotation again.

"Playin'." He said simply, before squealing and running towards the middle of the sprinkler system again.

Brooke waited patiently until he ran back, grinning at his success in beating the water, before speaking to him again.

"Can I play with you?" Brooke said tentatively.

"Sure." He said, grabbing her hand. Brooke couldn't help but be touched by his willingness to let her play, especially given their history.

"Ok, this is what you do." Scooter began to explain. He reminded her so much of Peyton in that moment as he began to a long drawn out explanation of the simple game, though the his willingness to forgive and be friends was all Lucas- Peyton could hold a grudge with the best of the them, second only to herself.

She had to admit as she made her first foray behind the revolving sprinkler, this was awkward. It really wasn't that hard to avoid the water, and the 2 feet or so she had to travel wasn't exactly arduous. But she did enjoy seeing Scooter's face as he grinned up at her with pride at her first successful dry run.

"Hey, you're really good at this! It took me a long time to get it right. The water's sneaky." Scooter said, glaring at the water exiting the sprinkler dangerously close to where they stood waiting.

Brooke was about to respond, when Scooter grabbed her hand excitedly. "Get ready, its almost time again! Dont forget to do a dance! That's the best part!"

His excitement was contagious, even more so when she began to loosen up, doing more and more elaborate dances as they played chicken with the sprinkler. One time, caught up in doing a long ago remembered cheer, she squealed in shock as she felt the cold spray hit her in the back. She was so focused on the infectious giggles of Scooter as he laughed at her antics, she forgot to keep moving out of the range of the sprinkler.

"Hey Brooke, looks like the sprinkler won!" Peyton said, chuckling as she wandered over to the sprinkler system, only a little wet from playing with Lily in the sprinkler that shot water straight up from a plastic tigger doll.

"Yeah, well at least it didn't get _all_ of me" she said, turning to face Peyton as she plucked at her dry front in relief.

"Yeah? Let me rectify that for you." Peyton said sweetly, before lifting the hose up and spraying Brooke, who sputtered in shock before glaring at the smirking Peyton.

"Uh, mommy, I think you better run," Scooter said, giggling at the look of horror on Brooke's face as she attempted to squeeze the excess water out of her hair and clothes.

Scooter's words sparked Brooke into action, the long ago memory of how these games were played coming back to her as she grinned evilly and began to walk purposefully to Peyton and the hose. Already soaked, she bum rushed Peyton through the spray to wrestle the hose away from her. Grasping the hose in triumph, she raised it high, sharing her victory with Scooter, her new partner in crime.

"What'r'u waitin for?" Scooter squealed, jumping up and down in excitement. "Spray Mommy! Get'r back!"

Still 5, he then turned to Peyton and widened his eyes in realization that his mother was about to be attacked. "Mommy, run!"

"_No_!" Peyton started as she saw Brooke point the hose at her. She ran and the chase was on, Brooke following behind with the spraying hose, the cheers for varying sides ringing out as one by one, the rest of the gang stopped to watch, or in the case of Brody, interfere in the chase. He too, ended up in a soaking heap along with Peyton for his efforts.

To any passerby, Brooke was for that moment, indistinguishable from the rest of the family. And it was the memory of that moment that kept a smile hovering on Brooke's lips for the rest of the day.

-lp-lp-lp-lp-lp-

Ahhh, Brooke love. Now I can go back to season 1 Brooke and write her evilness without guilt that I am forgeting season 6 Brooke. Cam I tell you how much Im loving season 8 Brulian? I actually am enjoying this season!

Stagediva! As you can see, I didn't forget about Brooke I just had Brooke gone a lot because I wanted to scare you guys into thinking she was gone like Peyton and the gang did. But def keep me honest. I dont want to short shrift my Brookie cookie.


End file.
